[jolepp]

Seems like an illustration of what can be done by combining media control, large amounts of money and a shameless attitude:

BBC News - Silvio Berlusconi Q&A: Italian prime minister on trial

BBC News - Timeline: Silvio Berlusconi's political career

[ihasa]

The Berlousconi carnival just rolls on and on!

[Ratmagiclady]

Look! A Distraction! *pointing and bolting.*

Really, though, nothing new here, only if she *did* have the ear of that dude for however long while he was making policy everyone *knew* was what it was, well, she really.... (almost saying the wrong word) Could have done better.

[Coeurdechene]

Seems like an illustration of what can be done by combining media control, large amounts of money and a shameless attitude:

And a crooked society with a worrying lack of values...
When the sex scandals about the young girls he lured to his bed with promises of wealth and Tv jobs were uncovered an alarming number of people laughed, justified and manifested some kind of admiration towards him. He is seen like someone with picardy, like an amusing rascal while he is just a decrepit corrupt swine.
Italian politicians are a breed hard to bear...there has been few respectable ones.

[Ratmagiclady]

Italian politicians are a breed hard to bear...there has been few respectable ones.

Yeah, their only redeeming quality is they're more fun than WASPs in America trying to punish people while trying to make up for it by telling everyone else in the world to be even more ashamed than themselves for what they do or want to but won't admit to until it's time for the *big born again deal*

That's Italy for ya, Catholic-style. You just never know when to play at city-states or 'global puritanism,' do ya, poor soul.

Guess who he's *really* in bed with somewhere in the vicinity of old Carthage, though, that's the *real* story.

You know a lot of the world's more indignant about where his 'oats' went, and if that involved latex, than his policies, right?


That young lady just lacked enterprise. If by 'enterprise' you mean a 'sense of geopolitical responsibility.'


Bear in mind Berlusconi *could* even be telling the truth about the standards of the general 'sin-fest.' I do know the type. Whatever you think of the facts or his general lack of scruples otherwise, or his idea that counts by some standards, it *could* be the truth.

Real question is: Why's that the issue when his policies and affiliations are there for all to see?
And moreover, always have been?

[jolepp]

I guess getting convicted of paying for sex with a minor would be just the thing to end his political career. Still, the sad thing is that he has so far gotten away with laws being changed to sidetrack other cases against him. One would expect that sort of thing to wreck a political career in a hurry, or in fact, one would have expected the original allegations merely existing, let alone them being prosecuted having resulted in that.

[Ratmagiclady]

I guess getting convicted of paying for sex with a minor would be just the thing to end his political career .

Well, Gods know most of his supporters are scandalized that it wasn't for *free.*

I'm sure not saying the man's above such, but like I said, I think I know the type, and he *may* be telling the truth about not having had sex.


And if the Vatican had a problem with paying to *not* have sex about these virginity things, they'd be out of business, too. So.


Maybe the deal is he's a corporate media mogul that's been playing everyone up one side and down the other, and shame on *everyone* if it took some freakin peccadillo for people to stop *demanding* it.

Still, the sad thing is that he has so far gotten away with laws being changed to sidetrack other cases against him. One would expect that sort of thing to wreck a political career in a hurry, or in fact, one would have expected the original allegations merely existing, let alone them being prosecuted having resulted in that.

Him becoming 'invconvenient' isn't the same thing as revisiting his policies.

It's known he paid a young lady. It's not known that he paid her for anything he *got,* and that really shouldn't be the issue.


Like I said, I know the type. They don't pay so much for what they got. They pay for what they *don't* got. (and it's not about the money and sex, it's about other things. ) It's Italy. They have big virginity kink. (And they might be screwing themselves blind elsewhere, like any other politician, but they do keep a romantic pedestal. Which isn't always comfy to be one, but which is not the same as 'being paid for sex.' Where he broke some people's rules is *really* about not keeping it in the gutter. And some people making accusations. Based on 'sex acts.' Like he'd be a perfectly great guy if he didn't. Well maybe he *didn't.* What if that's so? )


Whether or not the local Rupert Murdoch has any business running the country shouldn't hang on whether or not he 'did the deed.' What he did as a governor is plain to see.

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Last edited by Ratmagiclady; 04-07-2011 at 05:04 PM.

[Coeurdechene]

where his 'oats' went, and if that involved latex, than his policies, right?

Don't get me wrong..it's not the sex that bothers me, it's the way he conducts everything ranging from his "private business" to his "public policy", and that the people don't see the corruption in abusing one's power to satisfy one's own "needs". The fact that his party is in bed with the mafia is widely known..you can even find fotos of congresmen in birthday paties of some of the most sanguinaire bosses of the different mafious clans.
I was just pointing the sex/jobs bartering as an example of pimp attitudes that are degrading, and just cited it because i was reading about the ruby history.

Based on 'sex acts.' Like he'd be a perfectly great guy if he didn't.

It's not the sex..it's all the putrid usage of wealth and authority to trash and bend everything...i couldn't care less if the guy was screwing a sheep or liked being tied and beaten (just to cite two "scandalous" practises). What makes all the case unbearable is the hypocrisy around it.

I guess getting convicted of paying for sex with a minor would be just the thing to end his political career.

In another place maybe..in italy...not sure it would end anything at all.

And do you remember how he was conveniently attacked while the shadow of the different scandals started to bloom?
All the political scene there is worse than a cheap soap opera, depressing.

[Ratmagiclady]

Well, yeah, Coeur, that's the point. it's not like he's a different man than he was before these accusations, but what, it's OK as long as no one accuses him of *sex?*

Whatever, I guess, but really.


Guess my little bone to pick about this is that if people let all he did slide till someone says 'Sex! Sin!' ...then all a sudden, they lap it up and he's on the outs...

Well, next time, who says the accusations even have to be *true?* (If it even matters, this time) Rome, of all places, should know better these twenty five centuries, now, on the outside.

[Coeurdechene]

Guess my little bone to pick about this is that if people let all he did slide till someone says 'Sex! Sin!'

You are right. The fact that only the "sex" parts of his behaviour get so much attention IS deplorable.
Kind of reminds me of the clinton/lewinsky scandal...all that smoke for oral sex while the bastard had his own true mistakes to be judged for is stupid.

[Ratmagiclady]

You are right. The fact that only the "sex" parts of his behaviour get so much attention IS deplorable.
Kind of reminds me of the clinton/lewinsky scandal...all that smoke for oral sex while the bastard had his own true mistakes to be judged for is stupid.

Well, yeah, they *still* act like it was nearly a big deal when you mention the trillions to Iraq.. Seems they were happy to take the cash at the *time,* though..... Even when the 'special prosecutor' was proven to have been doing worse himself and to have started the 'investigation' before the scandalous incident even happened...

And the world's still paying for everything that was *not* done while everyone was worried if a dude from Arkansas got some.

I do take marriage oaths more seriously than the average Christian would seem to, but we shoulda learned the difference from where the 'moral' dude got us.

If the dude with the nuclear codes wants to take his deal out on the rest of the world and queer folks, it's no bargain, is it?
Maybe someone coulda got the Medal of Freedom at the expense of some dry-cleaning. Saved us all a lot of grief.

[jolepp]

Another day, another exploit:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13075450

[Parallax]

an alternate universe where being a lying scumsucking bastard is a badge of honour, to be celebrated.

Like this one?

[cardinal43]

Like this one?

Congratulations, you managed to identify the Republican party with no trouble.

[jolepp]

It has been said that they are not above a little bribery and corruption in the same way that the sea is not above the clouds, and this was certainly true in his case. When he heard the words 'integrity' or 'moral rectitude' he reached for the dictionary, and when he heard the chink of ready money in large quantities he reached for the rule book and threw it away.

(adapted from Douglas Adams' magnum opus)