So, got any election selectors?

[Spiffor]

[Tau Ceti]

Originally posted by Spiffor
Venstre 51% (WTF?)

What is the problem?

[Flip McWho]

Australia minus (:P Stuff you) doesn 't have anything this lame.

(Seriously its because we're slightly backward.)

[Harovan]

Originally posted by Winston
Took the survey from Spiegel, but I wasn't able to get any percentages for the different parties, like others have posted. So I took a screenshot of the results, see below. I used the option to weigh the questions posed, giving more weight to the ones I found the most important. It didn't significantly change the result though.

That's understandable, it takes the sharp mind of a communist to figure, that you need to hover with your mouse over the result bars to see the percentage numbers.

One other observation: How come, of the 30 questions, not one had to do with issues of immigration? Is that such a taboo issue in German politics as to not even be debated when a general election nears?

Immigration was a major issue in the 90's, when we faced several hundred thousands of immigrants every year. It has been thoroughly addressed in the following years. The numbers we have now are a non-issue, only extreme right wing parties have them on their agenda.

[Az]

Originally posted by Spiffor

counter-ownage

[Gangerolf]

Originally posted by Sir Ralph



Immigration was a major issue in the 90's, when we faced several hundred thousands of immigrants every year. It has been thoroughly addressed in the following years. The numbers we have now are a non-issue, only extreme right wing parties have them on their agenda.

but what about integration policies etc, isn't that an issue? e.g. 9/11 mastermind mohammed atta lived in hamburg for several years, and if i understand correctly that's were he became deeply religious.

[Harovan]

Originally posted by Gangerolf
but what about integration policies etc, isn't that an issue? e.g. 9/11 mastermind mohammed atta lived in hamburg for several years, and if i understand correctly that's were he became deeply religious.

There are ample opportunities for integration for those who choose so. While those, who wish to separate and live among themselves, are free to do so also. You can not forcably integrate anybody. Even in the biggest melting pot of the world exist regions and parts of entire cities, where people of a certain descent or a certain religion live among themselves.

What concerns Atta et al living in Hamburg: What's wrong with being/becoming deeply religious? It is not the same as becoming a terrorist. And you can not be persecuted for terrorism before you commit - or are at least caught to prepare - a terroristic act. Even more since the extended anti-terror measures, which we have now, weren't yet in power back then.

You can't do anything against religious organizations as long as they obey the constitution. In cases where they don't, actions are taken. As example I can name Metin Kaplan, the so called "Caliph of Colonia", a well-known hate preacher. Even though our justice did not look too well during his imprisonment, he's been arrested and sent to Turkey, where AFAIK he was sentenced to lifelong prison.

[Gangerolf]

I just think it's strange if integration isn't an issue. In Norway they don't talk about anything else, and we don't have nearly as many immigrants as Germany. I guess we haven't figured out that you can not forcably integrate anybody yet.

[Harovan]

Well, it is not much of an issue in election campaigns, at least not a separate one, because foreigners don't elect.

So as far as immigration itself and the presence of foreigners in the country is not an issue to the german (= the electing) population (which it's not indeed), neither is it their integration.

[Az]

You can not forcably integrate anybody.

Sure you can. Make it a condition on immigration.

[Harovan]

I don't know if this statement holds water now, as I haven't seen any numbers recently, but at least throughout the 90's the number of applicants for asylum - who tried to extend their stay as long as they could - was significantly larger than the number of regular immigrants. You can hardly turn down an asylum seeker with such conditions.

Aside from this, our politicians denied for way too long, for whatever reason, that Germany is an immigration country, and hence, we did not have an immigration law until recently.

[Az]

You can hardly turn down an asylum seeker with such conditions.

Eh? I don't get what you're saying.

[Harovan]

I mean, if somebody knocks at your door and says "let me in or they'll kill me" (assuming it is true), you can't tell him, that he may only enter, if he becomes a part of your family.

[C0ckney]

the thing about asylum seekers though is that most of them aren't telling the truth.

[Winston]

It's becoming clear from the last dozen posts that Sir Ralph is right: There's no cause for debate of these issues at all.