Good on Jan "The Contenda'" Svejnar and his CSSD paladins for seeking to draw the incumbent Czech President into the debating hotseat.

Hardly an ambush -- and way contrary to Vaclav Klaus' handlers' comprehension of it all -- a proper, full-on televised contretemps between the latter and The Contenda' would not only allow the President to show off his reputed debating chops, it'd also go towards removing the word "nascent" from Cesko's budding lil' democracy.

Lookit punters, it's high time we learn how to act as Western as we honestly believe ourselves to be.

Time we put that ol' money where our mouths are...instead of passively taking massive injections of foreign direct investment up our collective keysters and living in denial about it like we're some kind of isolated Central European Switzerland.

And it doesn't take 100 watts of brainpower to grasp what's currently playing out in the Czech political scene.

Klaus' evasive manoevres against debating the Heir Apparent are nothing short of shameless. That a large segment of the (totally deceived) Czech population -- anywhere between 60-70%, according to the latest STEM opinion polls -- supports Klaus' autocratic tomfoolery is entirely unacceptable in a so-called "democracy."

For goodness sake, we are the leading economy of the post-Communist universe!

In military terms that's equivalent to the rank of admiral, and it's high time we at least start acting the part. If Mala Strana can't get its blimmin' act together to (secretly, privately, manipulatively) vote appropriately for a head of state befitting the hallowed position, we better start faking it 'til we make it. Because I don't know about you, but another five years of Santa Klaus is too painful to even consider. Europe's been digging our grave, and they're already three feet deep (i.e. half way there).

By the way, are you dreading January 1, 2009, too?

That's D-Day for Cesko's ascendancy to the rotating EU presidency, and for those who don't know, we de facto become Europe for the better part of six months. If a random journalist from some far-flung location -- say The Federated States of Micronesia -- wishes to find out more about the European Union between January to June 2009, Brussels' website automatically defaults to the our EU Presidential URL.

And say -- heaven forfend -- Sir Klaus is re-elected. Then we might have the following 2009 doomsday scenario playing out at the inaugural EU Presidency press conference:


Hypothetical Journalist's Question (HJC): "What is the EU presently doing to curb fossil fuel emissions in line with 2007's Bali Declaration?"
Czech EU Presidency: "We can only speak for nations west of the Elbe (Labe), because the Czech Republic and its various weak-kneed post-Communist confreres don't believe that fossil fuel emissions are the direct cause of global warming."
HJC: "Um...but in the opinion of more than eighty-eight percent of--"
Czech EU Presidency: "--next question please!"


My friends, I'm sure my usual detractors will strongly disagree, but this is classic old style Czech(oslovak) thinking.

Disagree with me, says Klaus? To nevadi! I, King Klaus, don't have to debate you because I, King Klaus, hold the keys to the Castle. Didn't you know that the security of the nation rests in my hands? Well, didn't you?! Huh?!

::: as he continues :::

I'm a Doctor of Economics, for crying out loud! Why should I be forced to repeat the achievements of my questionable rule for the benefit of the nation?! Czech People, you don't elect me anyways! 200 deputies and 81 senators do. My stellar reputation speaks for itself as far as they're concerned, rozumite?

And it doesn't matter that you pay my salary, nor does it matter that the EU is calling for more transparency on the part of the EU-10 and -2, of which we are due members, because I am like your Heavenly Father. Jezismarja, so what if 4 out of ten of you nationwide don't like my straight-talking shoot-from-the-hip babbling commentary, or my constant badgering of the bona fides of Mr. Svejnar because, well...L'Etat, C'est Moi!

During the Bad Old Days, I stayed behind. I looked the Big Red Machine dead in the face and attempted to change it from the inside.

You, Mr. Svejnar?!

You were comfortably ensconced in your US idyll, teaching capitalist economics to the bourgeois devil enemy.

So why don't you listen to Mr. (Vojetch) Filip. Confess and give up your US citizenship, Jan, and join me, so together we can rule the Dark Side...

~~~~

Blech!

The Czech Presidential election is turning into a street fight, folks, and may the right man win (not the "best" man, because Mr. Klaus seems to hog that title all for his lonesome).

It's high time WE get to vote for our head of state, friends.

Otherwise, Klaus and his coterie should start learning to cool their rhetorical heels to leave governing to the ones we -- the Czech people -- entrust the job to, by virtue of the greatest invention ever since Dr. Wichterle's soft contact lens -- the Czech Republic's electoral ballot.

Where's the courage, oh brave inheritors of the Hussite legacy? Where is that old fight in ya, oh protesting battlers of the Prague Spring? Where is the balls-to-the-wall passion under truncheon blows that drove the enemies from our gates and returned the governing glory to we, the Czech people?

Where is it...?

So Santa (Klaus), a quick parting shot for you: it's time you took lessons in humility from a real class act. Her name is Her Excellency The Right Honourable, Michaelle Jean. And she's Canada's Governor-General.

A true Head of State for you, Big Boy...

Go get 'im, Contenda'. We're all rooting for you here in your corner.

ADM out.