CorrydesOct 16, 2023
Randahl Fink

This is the best political news, I have read in all of 2023. 🙌🏻

The ousted Polish government was headed by the PiS party — a nationalist, populist, authoritarian party which thought Poland would be a better country, if gays were percecuted, the rule of law was threatened, and Poland was in conflict with the EU.

Thank you to every Pole who voted for change! ♥️

Winner is the Civic Coalition lead by Donald Tusk, a pro-European, pro-NATO, anti-communist (picture 2).

Oct 16, 2023 at 9:35amIvory for iOS
Show threadThe Polish DispatchOct 16, 2023
@randahl "anti-communist" is a vague statement here. It may mean nothing or mean something different than most of us Poles understand it. Care to elaborate?
Show threadPete Alex Harris🦡🕸️🌲/∞🪐∫Oct 16, 2023
@ThePolishDispatch @randahl
Are there even any old-style totalitarian communists left with a power base in Europe that it's meaningful to be anti? Or does Poland have pro-Putin tankies that say they're communists but are actually anti-democratic pro-oligarchists i.e. actually fascists?
Show threadThe Polish DispatchOct 16, 2023
@petealexharris @randahl Thet's part of the confusion. In Poland the word 'communism' is used mainly as a moniker for soviet-era totalitarian regime. In that respect being anti-communist in Poland basically means nothing, as you pointed out.
'Communist' is also being used as a moniker in personal attacks by politicians: PiS calls the opposition 'communists' in their propaganda, while PiS is also being perceived as communists by the opposition.
And then we have a more formal meaning...
Show threadThe Polish DispatchOct 16, 2023
@petealexharris @randahl For instance if we try to apply attributes closer to what Marx preached, then Poland still upkeeps and operates several social programmes which survived 1989, when the soviet-era totalitarian government relinquished its grip on power.
We have tuition free higher education, universal healthcare, paid sick & maternity/paternity leave, cash-paid child subsidies, nation-wide right to strike, etc., which nobody questions except far-right convervatives and fascists. And then
Show threadThe Polish DispatchOct 16, 2023
@petealexharris @randahl we have more social programmes which but itself are not communist, but if we applied US GOP standards for when do they use 'communist/communism' as a slur, then the entire Poland would fall into a 'communist country' category.
What is interesting is that PiS government was/is in close embrace and idea exchange with those very same US GOP extremists, yet neither side at any point raised the issue of existence and popularity of polish social programmes. And the likes ...
Show threadThe Polish DispatchOct 16, 2023
@petealexharris @randahl with whom PiS collaborates are Alliance Defending Freedom, Heritage Foundation, Federalist Society, etc. This raises another question if the whole ordeal of US ultra-conservatives being against socialism and communism is fake, and the only reason they are against it is because POC and minorities benefit from them in the US. I like to believe that US right side is very much longing to have similar level of social security net protection as we do, ...
Show threadThe Polish DispatchOct 16, 2023
@petealexharris @randahl they just would want it exclusively for white conservative christians.
Show threadPete Alex Harris🦡🕸️🌲/∞🪐∫Oct 16, 2023

@ThePolishDispatch @randahl
I get the impression that the ones driving right wing populism in the US do not want any services paid for out of income taxation, and don't really give a fuck about the well-being of poor white conservative christians either, only rich people purporting to be christians as part of the scam.

The cultural targets of the right (on same-sex marriage, trans people, etc) are safe "scary enemies" to scream about while cutting public services and worker's rights.

Show threadRandahl FinkOct 16, 2023
@ThePolishDispatch I admit, this is not a very precise description. What I meant to say is, Donald Tusk is someone embracing modern free market trade, and not someone looking back at the days of the USSR dominance with longing.
Show threadThe Polish DispatchOct 16, 2023
@randahl embracing too much modern free-market trade is what cost KO and Tusk his dominance eight years ago, handing over power to PiS. If anything, during this campaign Tusk and his party were trying to avoid putting spotlight on their free-market fractions because that would discourage voters.
How much free market trade is popular in Poland can be seen from how many votes did Konfederacja (who spit on Keynes and workship Milton Friedman) get: slightly above 7%.
Show threadThe Polish DispatchOct 16, 2023
@randahl I was a teenager in 1989, when politicians and activists from Solidarity were trying to decide what path Poland after its transformation should follow. There were two options being considered: scandinavian countries-type capitalism, and full free market economy, US-style. The former lost because catholic hardliners thought that it will lead to laicisation of the society and abandoning catholic church. What happened afterwards ...
Show threadThe Polish DispatchOct 16, 2023
@randahl is quite well described in Naomi Klein's "The Shock Doctrine" book.
In the afterthought, one of the strongest proponents of Poland going full-free market in 1989 said that it was a mistake and the scandinavian capitalism option was more fitting.
There is still a lot of grievance in the society regading hard times which followed after 1989 and how much of national wealth was given away for almost nothing to foreign private capital.
Show threadsenOct 16, 2023
@randahl @kcarruthers AP doesn’t play the game, but I can just imagine the headlines elsewhere: “PiS poor effort leads to skewering by Tusk.”
Show threadMartin KosteraOct 16, 2023
No, CC is not winning. PiS is going to win.

45.81% of votes:

Show threadTony 💉x10 🇦🇺Oct 16, 2023
@randahl Finally some good news this week! 👍
Show threadBenjamin Kwiecień 🇵🇸Oct 16, 2023
@randahl congrats
Show threadLazarou Monkey Terror 🚀💙🌈Oct 16, 2023
@randahl I remember Tusk from Brexit, the patience of a saint having to deal with us clown British.
Good man.
Show threadJacunia🌴Oct 16, 2023
@randahl I’ve got to say. I’m pretty excited about is as well. First time I registered to vote was specifically for this to happen. Glad we’re coming out of the shadow of PiS
Show threadAbby NormalOct 16, 2023
@randahl
Planet Earth needs more good news like this.
Show threadDimitri DhuyvetterOct 16, 2023
@randahl it’s a sad day when conservative and friend of Orbsn is seen as taking Poland back from right wing. I haven’t followed his political career but remember not liking Tusk at all when he oreviowas prime minister.
Show threadMDKOct 16, 2023
@randahl @PHIL_FISH lost me at anti-communist, like social welfare is equivalent to fascism???
Show threadRandahl FinkOct 16, 2023
@mattdkerr that’s not what I mean at all. I mean communism in the traditional sense of the USSR, and all I am trying to say is, Tusk is not someone longing to go back to the 80s. He is someone who who is looking forward and embracing market economy.
@[email protected]
Show threadenmodo ⚛️ 🧬 🇺🇦 🍉Oct 16, 2023
@randahl now do Hungary!
Show threadJ.H.NoyesOct 16, 2023
@randahl
He looks like he just found out he was caught doing something terrible three seconds before that photo was taken.
@tjradcliffe
Show threadMal 🇿🇦🏳️‍🌈🇮🇪🏳️‍⚧️🇸🇪Oct 16, 2023
@randahl Donald Tusk had the most calm and reasonable approach about Brexit when he was EU President, in particular he recognised the impact and difficulties it would cause for Ireland. A very trustworthy leader. Well done the Polish people!
Show threadelpolacodesplegadoOct 16, 2023
@randahl Don't forget the abortion ban. My family and friends didn't want to have kids because they feared they'd have to die in case of complications.
Show threadAndrzej StamburskiOct 16, 2023
@randahl No problem, I did it for myself (and for other Poles) 😃
Show threadSaustrupOct 17, 2023
@randahl Faith in humanity temporarily restored.