I mentioned there was no in-flight entertainment on my Bulgaria Air flight from Sofia to Amsterdam, but there was an airline magazine…and it provided a stimulating take on the upcoming US Presidential election and other elections that will be held around the globe in 2024.
Bulgaria Air In-Flight Magazine Opines On US Presidential Election, Russian Politics, Other Key Elections Around The World
While Bulgaria Air, the flag carrier of Bulgaria, may not have wi-fi or screens onboard, it does offer its OnAir inflight magazine, which recently took on all the elections that will occur in 2024. Let’s take a look:
On the US election:
Will the White House welcome Donald Trump once again? 4 trials and 91 accusations not only didn’t destroy him, it looks like they gave him more power, instead. Economic and financial success didn’t bring the expected popularity to the current president Joe Biden. The election is unpredictable and it can change everything – the Western support for Ukraine, the delicate balance with China, the Middle East war, the worldwide competition between liberals and conservatives or any other names we might give to the two Western echo bubbles whose epic battle resonates all around the world.
(bolding mine)
The magazine is not holding out much hope for a surprise election victory in Russia or Belarus…
There isn’t much doubt about who the winner of the presidential election shall be in Russia or Belarus. We know that, four years ago, the Belarusian dictator Lukashenko most probably lost the election. However, in Stalin’s words, it doesn’t matter who wins but it rather matters who counts the ballots. In addition to bloody streets, hijacking the election and smashed demonstrations, Belarus also “won” a stronger dependence on Moscow.
Regarding Putin himself, votes are not an issue for him. He currently has another task: to decorate his future victory with a larger piece of conquered Ukrainian land. Therefore, the winter, which is warm anyway, shouldn’t raise predictions for a ceasefire. The already destroyed Mariinka shall fall definitely, and probably Avdeevka shall follow, too. At what cost? Thousands more Russian soldiers shall die in the slaughter.
(bolding mine)
Wow!
On the UK election:
“The Labour Party will return to power after 14 years in opposition. Keir Starmer, the serious, moderate and slightly dull man of law, is expected to bring back normality and mitigate the extreme situation that came with Brexit.”
On South Africa election:
“The South African democracy, won by the sacrifice of legends like Nelson Mandela, is constantly stumbling over radicalism and corruption. Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be a brighter future waiting around the corner.”
On the Indian election:
“Narendra Modi, aged 73, is pursuing his third 5-year administration. Accusations of nationalism and authoritarianism against him not only didn’t stop him but probably, on the contrary, mobilized the Hindu electoral base.”
You can read the full article (and full magazine) here (.pdf).
Has any other airline inflight magazine taken on the global elections happening this year?
It’s rather interesting to see how “international” the magazine coverage is with regard to politics in the parts which I skimmed through.
They left out the upcoming EU elections for European Parliament? Maybe they realized it’s national elections that matter the most while the European Parliament is for those set on the path of irrelevance to their home area constituents and political career prospects at home.
Doesn’t the EU parliament’s irrelevance give the things all us Americans envy: EU261, Unionwide roaming for mobile phones, data privacy protections, mandated USB-C?
I admit, I’m saying this from somewhat of a position of ignorance, but I’ve always assumed the EU parliament was able to get so much done because unlike national politicians, they actually care to improve people’s lives, not play professional politics and serve special interests and corporations.
Yes, the European Parliament drove EC 261/2004, but they tend to be impotent unless and until the European Council want something to happen and is on the same page as the European Parliament.
The EP is even more polarized and political than the average national parliaments in the EU; and at one and the same time it is sort of like a debate society and cozy pasture for people to be sent to have a good time at the expense of the taxpayers.
The European Commission needed a win for the EU to build more and more popular support for the EU, so they probably took the lead on it at the time. They did it for mobile phone roaming too. The pointy-hatted bureaucrats in Brussels know the value of popular, not-too-political wins in order to try to make people more pro-EU and not __-exiters calling for __-exit.
Within the following is a brief on the legislative process at the EU level going from the Commission > EP > Council:
https://www.riksdagen.se/en/how-the-riksdag-works/how-the-eu-works/how-an-eu-law-is-made/#
I was just provided some numbers about what we are to expect from the European Parliament elections, and seems like the swing to the right with the far right may be such that this could be a real monkey wrench in the ability of the EU to act together to get things done under new legislation.
The quasi-joke is that if Israel wins tonight’s Eurovision Song Contest – and it has extremely high chances to win for a couple of reasons — then the EP is going to be in for a bigger than already anticipated swing to the far right. And then from that point expect less in the way of big consumer friendly moves under new legislation from the EU.
Israel got second place in the Eurovision Song Contest among the voting public in the contest, and Israel was close to beating Croatia — which was first — in that regard.
But between the votes of the public and the votes of the jury members in the contest, a big boost was given by the jury (as opposed to the voting public) to Switzerland, France, Croatia and Ukraine. And that jury voting put Israel at a disadvantage and sent Israel to 5th place. The ESC voting public put Israel in second place, just barely behind Croatia.
https://eurovisionworld.com/eurovision/2024#switzerland
It was interesting to see which country’s voting public gave the maximum 12 votes to Israel — especially keeping in mind that the voting public in the contest historically tends to be centrist or left of center.
Trump 2024
@Chi Hsuan … Trump has a women’s vote problem … the alleged dalliances do not go down well with women .
Are ya kidding? Bill Clinton, JFK ,(and other non-president Kennedy’s) … how far back do you want to go? Warren Harding made no secret of his affairs while in office … Thamas Jefferson and John Adams? What about candidates like John Edwards and Gary Hart … not to mention numerous Senators and Congressmen (persons?) Many of our Presidents and other politicians have a history of being womanizers and/or predators depending on the point of view. What about the claims against Joe Biden? (Tara Reid?) Both Left and Right … Both Dems and the GOP … some were impacted others weren’t …
First off, most women aren’t stupid, and we can tell when we are being manipulated or when a scandal isn’t a scandal, until it’s advantageous to someone powerful
Also you can dislike someone personally or dislike their personality … I can’t think of many rich and powerful people I think I’d like to hang out with, and still admire their ability to do their job or think they are wise about the economy or foreign policy etc … If I actually had to like or completely respect the people that I vote for … I’d never vote!
Elections are never about just one issue or personality trait … Jimmy Carter seems like one of the nicest and most compassionate humans there ever was … totally ineffectual as a president. JBJ was the biggest jerk there ever was, and he was more uncouth or unpresidential than Trump is constantly criticized for … and I know the family personally … but he did a heck of a lot for Texas and many argue for the Nation. He was by all accounts a decent president
The election will not be decided by women not voting for Trump. Like most elections, both men and women will hold their nose, choke back the vomit … and vote … on both sides! Look at the choices!!!!
History will look back on all this with much more clarity and censure than we currently realize.
Carter is the one who was very effective in setting up the Soviet Union for the slow bleed of Afghanistan and to let that be an example of Russian impotence. Reagan carried on with that. Carter had a problem as a micromanagement type, in large part because he’s intelligent but couldn’t suffer fools. Trump too is an awful micromanager except he’s too stupid to effectively get his fingers into the nitty-gritty as much as Carter was. Carter was a bad politician but will end up being rated a better President than “the Great Communicator” suggested to the country.
I think the election will be decided by women not voting for Trump .
Women might well disapprove of Trump’s dalliances .
If we find that the gap in behavior between men and women is shrinking over time with opportunities across gender being increasingly harmonized over time, then we should find that the gap in voting patterns will narrow too. As it is, seems to me like a lot of European-American women with less than a 4-year college education seem to have been less opposed to “just grab them by the hoohaa” Trump in recent years than they were with “feminist” and “think of the children” (CDF) Hillary Clinton who “stood by her man” just like Trump’s wife.
When was the last time an American President got divorced after leaving the White House?
No former US President has ever gotten divorced after leaving the White House. Even the number of Presidents who have been divorced before entering the White House is limited to Reagan. While it’s obvious that going back at least to Thomas Jefferson, extramarital sexual relations is nothing new to Presidents. And Andrew Jackson was sort of a player before getting married while James Buchanan was the only one never married.
Left out that Trump has had two divorces before becoming President. Will the Secret Service spill additional beans about the philandering adventures of Trump and his wife while under their watch?
The right wing was destroyed once Roe v. Wade was overturned. Everywhere you look, including in conservative locations, people vote liberally when reminded how GOPers want to control you.
The american people need to be controlled.
That dynamic may turn out to be primarily a state office level vote because the Supreme Court kicked the bodily freedom issue down to be regulated by the states. And so maybe that issue can’t be counted on to deliver for national offices.
MAGA/GOP = SHIT!
-> Rikers 2025
I no longer believe Trump or anyone for that matter can save America. The best thing for america would be to break up like Yugoslavia and suspend democracy.
The truth is that OnAir inflight magazine’s analysis seems impartial and correct. I don’t see the hilarious thing, but quite the opposite..
It editorializes, not that I disagree with its assessment of Russia or Belarus.
That was very kind of the Swedish government to educate ignorant Americans like myself in English. I don’t think I was aware of the power the European Commission yielded. I now endeavor to read up on this quite a bit. Despite the issues you reference, I still admire the European Parliament (and Commission, I suppose) as a multinational legislative body that seems to at least get some things done occasionally.
Honestly, the life of an MEP doesn’t sound that bad. If I had a red passport, I’d probably try to get elected to the cushy debate club.
The Swedish parliament is a tourist attraction at times and also has foreign tourists being given tours in English — among some other languages — by government tour guide staff (or volunteers?). I suspect that the question about the legislation-making process at the national level and how the EU-level legislative process interacts with the Swedish parliament has been a recurring question for some of the visitors on such tours. [It’s pretty often the case that Swedish national government and professional services firms’ websites have both Swedish and English info, and that’s even more likely when it comes to places of touristic interest.]
The MEP thing is a pretty cushy thing for as long as you can get it. But at that place and others, it’s not just the legislators who are part of “the drama”. The “hired help” of staff is also part of that. But in regard to “indiscretions,”it’s not too different than what has gone on in the US Congress, the White House and even with the US federal judiciary at times. The world is full of all sorts of characters, and so are governing bodies.
Regarding the EU Parliament, you’ve got to watch the Franco-German comedy TV show Parlement.
Thanks for the suggestion. Does an airline show the show as part of the in-flight entertainment? Following your suggestion. I saw a clip of it, and I’m reminded of the saying about art imitating life just from the brief clips I saw.
American democracy is flawed and should be suspended.
Better a flawed democracy that equally protects the rights of minorities than a perfect dictatorship that protects its power over all.
Even a democratic country like Sweden the opinion corridor keeps you from expressing your own opinion that the general consensus doesn’t agree with.
Glad to hear from you nacho.
That’s the constitutional monarchy of Sweden in the 20th century and into the 21st, until it became sort of cool in parts to be a Jimmie fan and complain/hint in one way or another about “too many Arabs” at the beaches (and along other waterfronts) and “too many Somalis” at the swimming pools (and bath houses). Now it’s more like MAGA-land, but with far fewer guns per capita in the hands of the general public.
The USA is not, and has never been, a democracy.
We are a Republic, as stated by no lesser authority than Ben Franklin ( a noted womanizer himself ) .
A democratic republic.
Franklin wasn’t having sexual relations with a sex industry entertainer while having a wife pregnant with a last publicly acknowledged child. That was “can’t keep it in his pants” Trump before his obesity problems may have caught up with him and compromised the functioning of “it”.