A few unpleasant truths about the late Polish president

[Zomby Woof]

From the LA Times, with highlights and commentary provided by the ZW Times.

Poland President Kaczynski was a battler

Lech Kaczynski, who died Saturday in a plane crash in Russia, was a fervent Catholic who battled communism during the Cold War and matured into a staunchly conservative politician.

Kaczynski and his identical twin, Jaroslaw, rose to the top of Polish politics in 2005 when their Law and Justice Party swept to power. With Lech as president and his brother as prime minister, the snowy-haired siblings with boyish faces led their country to the right. (kind of like a pair of Polish Newt Gingriches)

Despite Poland's membership in the European Union, Lech Kaczynski was adamant that Warsaw not become entangled in continental politics and bureaucracy. His close alliance with the United States agitated European leaders, especially during the George W. Bush administration, which was deeply unpopular in much of Europe.

At home, Kaczynski, who was mayor of Warsaw before becoming president, sought to expose former communists and cleanse what he and his brother regarded as pervasive liberalism. He took a hard line against homosexuality and often assailed salacious magazines and TV shows.

His critics regarded him as a politically dangerous mix of Polish nationalism and religious conservatism. But for many Poles, remembering his courageous stand with Solidarity leader Lech Walesa and others in the movement that challenged Poland's communist regime, Kaczynski was a touchstone of the post-World War II era.

More here:
http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-fg-kaczynski-obit11-2010apr11,0,7708093.story

[RKP5637]

1. Bush years, wonder why that sounds familiar, "nationalism and religious conservatism." Just what

the republicans love...

[JVS]

2. Anyone who heard about him before yesterday knew he was a bad egg.

He used to be treated with derision here. I see no reason to mourn his death. Are there people defending him? My ignore list must be shielding me from their conservative apologetics.

[Warpy]

3. Apparently there is real grief in Poland, according to the Beeb

but it might be because pretty much the whole government died in that crash. While there is a line of succession to follow, they've got to be feeling leaderless, rudderless, and lost just about now.

I chatted with fairly reasonable people there until Stupid got rigged into office. They became far less reasonable and far more likely to be kneejerk Stupid supporters. It was strange to watch. I can only conclude their mass media are as corrupt as ours.

[conturnedpro09]

4. Get over yourself.

"I see no reason to mourn his death."

Are you serious? Who cares whether he was a liberal or a conservative? Have a heart. And a brain, please. The last thing every Polish-American grieving with his/her relatives in Poland right now (like mine) wants to hear is sickening "who cares if a he's dead?" garbage which a few too many here at DU (but thankfully not most) have seen fit to spew.

God bless Poland in this very, very difficult time for them.

[JVS]

5. You get over yourself. Getting killed in a plane crash does not change the fact that 3 days ago....

he was a douche. He lived a douche and died a douche. My condolences to the people of Poland on electing a douche and having that douche die in office.

[mitchtv]

10. you are right

a scumbag is a scumbag.Death doesn't make him any better. Homophobic motherfucker , Good fucking riddance

[Green_Lantern]

17. I try not to judge but only because I'm not perfect like most DU...

Think they are. I won't say homophobia is ignorant but I also am not familiar with Polish culture to say that homophobia isn't ingrained in their culture.

[conturnedpro09]

18. Wow. I guess death is only sad when it happens to people who share our politics. n/t

[mitchtv]

19. time for rejoicing in cases like this

nothin sad about it.

[malaise]

7. The ''don't forget Poland Bush alliance' was linked to his

unpopularity. I never defend these RW gurus who have made this planet a sorry mess for the ordinary people everywhere, but since the Polish left are pausing to share in unexpected loss of the political class, I will give them three days to get over this shock.

Let's be clear though, the US RWs also took a serious hit here. Their Polish intelligence connections have been depleted.

[emilyg]

23. Have no fear - someone will

piss on your grave, too.

[lunatica]

6. Was that the Poland that Bush screamed at John Kerry about in 2004?

Recalling the days of the debates when Bush yelled, "You forgot Poland!".

[stray cat]

8. The fact that he just died in a plane crash along with almost 100 others?

or is that not unpleasant?

[Zomby Woof]

9. An unpleasant end for an unpleasant person

I don't buy into the ignorant, medieval taboo of not speaking ill of the dead. Who gives a fuck? He's dead, and I will happily piss on his grave, as he happily pissed on the lives of those who were "different" from him.

[Odin2005]

11. Wow, I can't believe this sick need for grave-pissing here.

Yes, the guy was a jerk, that doesn't make it right to piss on his grave.

[Raine]

12. That's right ... really if you can't say

something nice it's better to say nothing at all.

[Riftaxe]

13. But didn't you read the OP? he had white hair!!!!

Still trying to figure out why that part was in bold......

[The Straight Story]

14. I think some here would piss on their own graves if they could (nt)

[emilyg]

22. +10

[Dover]

15. Sounds like Kaczynski was going to lose the next presidential election

AND his political opponents were ALSO killed in the crash.

Originally, Kaczynski was up for re-election in the autumn (between 19 September and 3 October; the exact date would have been announced between 23 May and 23 June), before the end of his first five-year term of office.

Two candidates for the election died in the crash – apart from Kaczyński, who would have stood for reelection for the Law and Justice party led by his brother, Jerzy Szmajdziński would have run for the Democratic Left Alliance.


So it will be very interesting to see who wins the election which will take place within the next 60 days or so.


To understand more about potential leaders from right and left, here's the lowdown from Wikipedia:

Confirmed
(in alphabetical order)

Bronisław Komorowski, current Acting President of Poland, conservative-liberal Civic Platform<3>
Janusz Korwin-Mikke, conservative-libertarian Freedom and the Rule of Law (Wolność i Praworządność)<4>

Tomasz Nałęcz, center-left Social Democracy of Poland and supported by the liberal Democratic Party – demokraci.pl<5>

Andrzej Olechowski, as an Independent and probably supported by the liberal Democratic Party<6>
Potential


The right
Law and Justice
Zbigniew Ziobro, former Minister of Justice; recently mentioned as a candidate with support of conservative-Catholic Tadeusz Rydzyk and his Radio Maryja, who now oppose Kaczyński.<7> Currently Member of the European Parliament
League of Polish Families
Maciej Giertych, former Member of the European Parliament and candidate in 2005
Sylwester Chruszcz, former Member of the European Parliament, former party leader
Right of the Republic
Marek Jurek, former Sejm Marshal (2005-2007)
Others
Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz, former Prime Minister (2005-2006)


The left
Democratic Left Alliance
Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz - former Prime Minister (1996-1997), Sejm Marshal (2005), who initially ran in 2005, but withdrew his candidacy before the election. Also presumed as common left-wing candidate
Wojciech Olejniczak (Democratic Left Alliance) - Former Party Leader, former Minister of Agriculture and former Vice Sejm Marshal. Currently MEP. Like Borowski and Cimoszewicz, possible common left-wing candidate.
Social Democracy of Poland
Marek Borowski - Former Sejm Marshal (2001-2004), who came fourth in the 2005 election, he could be the candidate of a united left.

Populist/Agrarians
Polish People's Party
Jarosław Kalinowski - Former Party Leader, Vice PM and Minister of Agruculture under Leszek Miller and candidate in both 2000 and 2005 elections, currently MEP.
Waldemar Pawlak - Current Leader, twice served as Prime Minister (1991 and 1993-1995). Was a Presidential candidate in 1995. Current Deputy PM and Minister of Economy in the coalition government with PO.

-----



And just an interesting note that I haven't seen mentioned. Putin had invited Tuft, the center-right Polish PM, to a "massacre ceremony" which took place in Russia last week, but did NOT invite Kaczynski. So Pres. Kaczynski was going to a separate event organized strictly by Polish associates when their plane crashed.

So here is what the Reuters said today:

Analysis: Plane Crash Boosts Polish Prime Minister Tusk

12 April 2010
Reuters

WARSAW — The plane crash that killed Poland's president and leading opposition politicians has removed in one stroke key opponents of Prime Minister Donald Tusk and his ruling centrist Civic Platform.

While a shocking blow to Poland's body politic, analysts say constitutional mechanisms will ensure that there is no power vacuum and there will not be any long-term impact on stability.

The crash will reinforce Tusk's already considerable dominance of Polish politics, and analysts say it may have relatively muted long-term consequences, although they also stress that it is too early to predict the full impact of such an unprecedented accident on the national psychology...cont'd

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/analysis-plane-crash-boosts-polish-prime-minister-tusk/403693.html

[kentuck]

16. And Anne Applebaum of the Washington Post...

is married to the Polish Prime Minister, who is the acting President until the next election. So she is First Lady of Poland?

[slackmaster]

20. He was Democratically elected, just like Hugo Chavez

:argh:

[yodoobo]

21. he was SNOWY HAIRED!!! ????

Its amazing the evil secrets that people keep.


glad you bolded it.

[Blue_Tires]

24. still, that's no way for anyone to go imo...

[LanternWaste]

25. When I meet a perfect individual...

When I meet a perfect individual whose political and social philosophies line up precisely with mine, I'll mourn that person's death, otherwise they're simply beneath contempt.

On the other hand, I doubt I'll ever meet that person-- or that they even exist... so for my part, I am compelled to take a person's bad along with the good.

However as always, it's good to know that we have amongst us those who can overlook a nation's tragedy, a family's mourning, and an individual's death, and use that as part and parcel of their soapbox.

ed: grammar







Us. vs. Them. Same as it ever was. For ever and ever. Amen.