Italy's Berlusconi Loses, Prodi wins

[masterblaster72 0]

Italy's version of GWB is out...

One of the few good things Berlusconi did was that he granted dual citizens like myself and expats the right to vote abroad. So thanks to him, I was able to cast my vote for Prodi this morning at the consulate. Not a great alternative, but much better than a self-serving aristocrat hellbent on gutting democracy for his own benefit.

No matter how much Berlusconi tried to manipulate the laws and exploit the media outlets he owns to benefit himself and his supporters, he still lost.

Hopefully, as former head of the EU, Prodi will help revive the stagnant Italian economy and Italy will no longer be the laughingstock of Europe. And surely, Italian troops will be out of Iraq soon.

Be humble, ask questions, listen, learn, follow the golden rule, talk when necessary, and know when to shut the fuck up.

[christelsabine 1]

Hahahaha... that's a fine compliment for GW-boy .
OK, OK, only in regards of Italian way of life compared to the GeorgieWay... ummm. Ja.

No seriously, we Europeans will miss Berlusconi's self-portrayal, his endless overconfidence - he's a funny guy. Le's hope for Prodi's success. Italy is worth it.

I'm just wondering how interesting this election is to the Americans?

dudeist skydiver # 3105

[shropshire 0]

<> Or changing sides...... joke... it was a JOKE

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[masterblaster72 0]

Be humble, ask questions, listen, learn, follow the golden rule, talk when necessary, and know when to shut the fuck up.

[shropshire 0]

Phew... thought I was going to get blasted.

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[christelsabine 1]

That's a bit unfair: Only b/c their tanks are equipped with one forward and 4 reverse gears, you should not blame it on the troops!

dudeist skydiver # 3105

[masterblaster72 0]

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Hahahaha... that's a fine compliment for GW-boy

True, he's extremely well-spoken, that's for sure...and infinitely more successful in business than GWB ever was. As leader of a government and one of the world's leading economies? He's a miserable failure, and that's where I'm drawing the parallel.

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No seriously, we Europeans will miss Berlusconi's self-portrayal, his endless overconfidence - he's a funny guy.

Yeah, like comparing himself to Jesus and Napoleon...likening a German diplomat to a Nazi camp guard...his Neapolitan singing (even funnier since he's from Milan)...calling Italian judges "anthropologically different"...saying that those who wouldn't vote for him are "morons"...his cosmetic surgery...and so on...

some of this news had me laughing out loud in disbelief when I read it -- Prodi is pretty flat and won't provide that kind of entertainment...but I guess if a boring guy can get the job done then I'm willing to sacrifice a few laughs.

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I'm just wondering how interesting this election is to the Americans?

I take it that's a rhetorical question

Be humble, ask questions, listen, learn, follow the golden rule, talk when necessary, and know when to shut the fuck up.

[akarunway 1]

So. How many gears (reverse) do the French tanks have?

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

[christelsabine 1]

Une march-arrière?

dudeist skydiver # 3105

[ScottishJohn 25]

I've just seen the news headlines, the results arn't in yet. The votes are still being counted.
I hope he is voted out but it's too early to to pop those champagne bottles yet.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
If you think my attitude stinks you should smell my fingers

[warpedskydiver 0]

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So. How many gears (reverse) do the French tanks have?

None all the have is a parking brake and a long tube on the front end for holding the white flag

[tbrown 26]

This is good news and by all means good riddance to the bastard. But this was his second time around if I'm not mistaken. What's to keep him from coming back yet again ?

Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

[feuergnom 22]

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What's to keep him from coming back yet again ?

dimwits voting him

The universal aptitude for ineptitude makes any human accomplishment an incredible miracle

dudeist skydiver # 666

[shropshire 0]

<> Actually, not yet ... the count is way too close to call (0.1%)... ..

.

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[Amazon 7]

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Italy's version of GWB is out... >> Actually, not yet ... the count is way too close to call (0.1%)... ..

HMM I wonder what company owns the SOURCE CODE running on the machines that count the votes....I dont suppose its a company that supports Berlusconi now would it.......That could never happen in any other country other than here.

[mr2mk1g 10]

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Italy's Berlusconi Loses, Prodi wins

You've jumped the gun on this by a significant margin.

[vpozzoli 0]

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Italy's version of GWB is out... >> Actually, not yet ... the count is way too close to call (0.1%)... ..

HMM I wonder what company owns the SOURCE CODE running on the machines that count the votes....I dont suppose its a company that supports Berlusconi now would it.......That could never happen in any other country other than here.

The votes are counted by hand.

Vale

[vpozzoli 0]

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This is good news and by all means good riddance to the bastard. But this was his second time around if I'm not mistaken. What's to keep him from coming back yet again ?

Let's hope it's old age. He'll be 75 by the next election. He could aim for the presidency but the president is not elected by popular vote and has very little power, so it will probably not be good enough for him.

Vale

[masterblaster72 0]

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You've jumped the gun on this by a significant margin.

Just being optimistic

I really, really hope this isn't another case of "Dewey Defeats Truman"...

Be humble, ask questions, listen, learn, follow the golden rule, talk when necessary, and know when to shut the fuck up.

[tbrown 26]

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Italy's version of GWB is out... >> Actually, not yet ... the count is way too close to call (0.1%)... ..

HMM I wonder what company owns the SOURCE CODE running on the machines that count the votes....I dont suppose its a company that supports Berlusconi now would it.......That could never happen in any other country other than here.

Yeah, I'm wondering myself. Because now, a day later, Belusconi's refusing to concede the election. He appears to be attempting to duplicate the GWB post election fraud of 2000, Italian style.

Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

[masterblaster72 0]

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This is good news and by all means good riddance to the bastard. But this was his second time around if I'm not mistaken. What's to keep him from coming back yet again ?

Giulio Andreotti was Prime Minister of Italy SEVEN times.

Yes, SEVEN freaking times, even after being convicted of having ties to the mafia...yet never having served any jail time for it due to statutory limitations.

As for now? He's serving as a senator for life. Not kidding.

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Yeah, I'm wondering myself. Because now, a day later, Belusconi's refusing to concede the election. He appears to be attempting to duplicate the GWB post election fraud of 2000, Italian style.

In a clusterf.ck of a government like that, expect some weird sh.t to happen in the recount process...should be interesting to watch what happens in the next few days/weeks. I predict it's going to make Florida 2000 look like a textbook example of how recounts should be done.

Be humble, ask questions, listen, learn, follow the golden rule, talk when necessary, and know when to shut the fuck up.

[mnealtx 0]

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Yeah, I'm wondering myself. Because now, a day later, Belusconi's refusing to concede the election. He appears to be attempting to duplicate the Dem's post election fraud of 2000, Italian style.

Fixed that for ya.

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[Ariosdagger 0]

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<> Or changing sides...... joke... it was a JOKE

It is not a joke.
Mr Prodi and friends (wich include a couple of communist parties and a few other mixed ultra left partners) have stated as a "leit motiv" that one of the first things they would do will be to withdraw from Iraq (and that was a promise to the communists).
After that he said that will meet Mr bush to teach him how to deal with the world order. Sic!
In the mean time, a magistrate (which in Italy are mainly leftist) set free some islamist terrorists, which were recruiting youngster to go to Iraq to blow up some invading troops (guess who) since they were not terrorists, but simply freedom fighters.
Take your own conclusions.

[Ariosdagger 0]

Sorry guys, but it seems that you are victim of the usual "disinformtja".
Mr Andreotti, even if I personally don't like him, was cleared from all charges.
Furthermore, more than 1 million ballots were nulled, and that, since it sounds very strange since the peculiarity of the new voting system, lead to believe that something strange happened.
i believe that a recount should be needed at least to clear any doubt and restore confidence in politics.

[feuergnom 22]

if this all wasn't so sad i'd laugh my ass of on how stupid people can be re-voting for a government that fucked up everything possible. otoh - hey - it's italy, what did i expect

on yet another hand: last elections in austria weren't any better

The universal aptitude for ineptitude makes any human accomplishment an incredible miracle

dudeist skydiver # 666