[Idyllchat] NY Times piece on immigration issues in the upcomingCH elections

[Joan Herriges]

That was a very interesting Times piece Jerry.  And thanks Vance's for your 
comments helping put it in perspective.  In the October 2007 issue of Swiss 
Review Magazine (for Swiss Abroad) I noted under the Popular Initiatives 
column two related initiatives "For the expulsion of foreign criminals" and 
"Against the construction of minarets".  How are initiatives handled in CH 
politics?  How do they turn into law?

My fondest wish (I enjoy politics) is that we could just debate the issues 
in the US.  Instead, we will be wallowing in mudslinging and petty 
nitpicking until November 2008.

Apologies to the travel folks--we probably should be talking about this on 
Culture Chat?  Joan.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Vance Roy" <gigli.saw at dplanet.ch>
To: "Jerry Clancy" <jclancy at billtrak.com>
Cc: <idyllchat at lists.untours.com>
Sent: Tuesday, October 09, 2007 1:18 AM
Subject: Re: [Idyllchat] NY Times piece on immigration issues in the 
upcomingCH elections


> What the article says is all true to my knowledge. The far right SVP 
> pushed the envelope with the poster, but the far left SP party will 
> likely suffer at the polls because of the civil disturbance in Bern.  The 
> SVP had a legitimate permit for their gathering, and the leftists  did 
> not. They came across as hoodlums. This may shift things to the  right 
> even more.
>
> The percentage of foreign nationals in Swiss jails is about 70%. Most  of 
> these criminals are living in far better conditions than they did  in 
> their homelands (clean beds, three meals, TVs, et.). Theft is a  socially 
> acceptable thing in some of their countries. Violent crimes  are largely 
> nationality on nationality cases, but petty crimes,  burglary, and auto 
> theft are against all. Signs and announcements  about petty crimes are all 
> over. This is a new consideration for the  Swiss, and they don't like it.
>
> One interesting aspect of the coming election is that the Swiss are  not 
> used to hard nosed campaigns. The SVP is using tactics that would  be 
> considered mild in other countries. Collegiality, at least as far  as 
> elections go, is out the window, and the other parties are  scrambling to 
> learn the other tactics. Don't think that they won't  use them. Compared 
> to USA election campaigning, this is Sunday school.
>
> On 8. Okt 2007, at 20:43, Jerry Clancy wrote:
>
>> Well, at least CH won't have to build a fence.
>
> Vance Roy
> gigli.saw at dplanet.ch
> http://homepage.mac.com/fredch
> http://www.eyefetch.com/fredch/blog.aspx
>
> Retirement is wonderful. The best part is waking up and not having to  go 
> to work. In fact, I enjoy it so much that I do it several times  each day.
> AJC Vent
>
>
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