Tuomioja spits into the wind, again.
@ 8:29 am 
Red-faced with embarrassment from his UPM stock-selling fiasco, which initially prompted intense speculation on profiteering, The Toad of Finland, Finnish foreign minister Erkki Tuomioja, decides to deflect attention from his imbroglio by attempting to bait and trap former president and fellow social democrat Martti Ahtisaari by speculating on his reasons in continuing to sit on the board of directors of UPM. Forgetting for a moment the fact that Tuomioja’s neglecting his purview in the foreign ministry, - not the finance or interior ministry - Tuomioja’s desperate attack does point out a certain conflict of interest that indeed needs to be explored:
Why do so many Finnish social democrats sit on the boards of private Finnish corporations, or are employed by banks and other free-market institutions? As this is already a conflict of interest from a political point of view, does it not make sense for social democrats to take example from Tuomioja and divest themselves from these seats of capitalist power and privilege? Or do the perks of power make the seats so tempting that somehow all of it gets rationalized in the end?
Social democrats are forever preaching about social morality, so much so that you would think most of them are just rehashing fundamentals learned in a Lutheran confirmation school. If corporations truly are behaving in an immoral way when they try to stay competitive on the global markets, shouldn’t social democrats do the right thing and resign those seats, especially at UPM where, as Tuomioja points out, their efforts have been in vain?
This time I agree with You. Tuomioja wants to dismerit Ahtisaari for other reasons than UPM corporate behavior.
Comment by Jormanen — Sat, Mar 18th, 2006 @ 10:46 am
hahahaa
man, finnbandit is the funniest comedian ever
Comment by Blah — Sat, Mar 18th, 2006 @ 11:12 am
“Why do so many Finnish social democrats sit on the boards of private Finnish corporations, or are employed by banks and other free-market institutions?”
How many?
Other free-market institutions?
Could you elaborate, please?
Comment by Auriga — Sat, Mar 18th, 2006 @ 12:26 pm
Dear Mr. Finnpundit,
You seem to have some trouble with understanding definitions. You consistently appear to confuse social democrats with communists. Believe me, they are not the same. There is no moral impediment for soc.dem’s to sit on corporate boards. That is the best place to be if they want to try to make the corporations more “socially responsible”
Of course, if they’re in it for the money, it’s a completely different kettle of fish. Mr. Tuomioja, however, has been known as a “righteous dude” for decades, so you slinging mud at him only makes you seem petty.
Get over it, already.
Comment by Fat Bastard — Sat, Mar 18th, 2006 @ 3:16 pm
Well yes it is sad that things aren’t in the order God intended. In a proper society fat cigar-smoking evil capitalists would run things and bohemian commies and other people talking about what’s “fair” would be slightly poor artists and journalists and that sort of suspicious people who ultimately have something against the great nation of [insert preferred country].
Tuomioja is like a human shield the Social Democrats use to remind people that they’re a leftist party. Meanwhile the Social Democrats are of course aware of the fact that the Centre is going to lose votes because of their agricultural policy failure, so at the moment it looks like there’s not going to be another punamulta. Therefore these UPM things should be dealt with publically now rather than later, because leftist moralising can’t be the issue anymore next year when they might have to go into government with Kokoomus. Yet of course they still need the votes. I’d put Tuomioja on the stage too.
Comment by Anna — Sat, Mar 18th, 2006 @ 3:32 pm
Why do so many Finnish social democrats sit on the boards of private Finnish corporations, or are employed by banks and other free-market institutions? As this is already a conflict of interest from a political point of view, does it not make sense for social democrats to take example from Tuomioja and divest themselves from these seats of capitalist power and privilege?
We could also ask Finnpundit the following:
Why do so many American libertarians sit in front of their computers in their Finnish homes, or are employed by Finnish companies and other commie institutions? As this is already a conflict of interest from a political and ethical point of view, does it not make sense for American libertarians to take example of — well, nobody among them — and divest themselevs from the misery of daily life in state-and communism-controlled Finland and move to where they can enjoy the power and privilege of ideologies closer to their hearts?
Or, if not willing to do that, at least make some effort to understand Finnish politics. Or if people like Finnpundit in fact have made that effort, try again and stop only when they got the basics in their heads. And no, I’m no communist neither social democrat but clearly see the difference between them is more or less the same as between republicans and neo-nazis.
Comment by Yes, why? — Sat, Mar 18th, 2006 @ 4:31 pm
Tuomioja = Idiot = SDP
Comment by visa79 — Sat, Mar 18th, 2006 @ 5:05 pm
visa79
“Tuomioja = Idiot = SDP”
Heretic!
You don’t get it Finnpundit - commies are known for their greed. Why else would they support redistribution (at least when the money that’s being redistributed belongs to someone else)?
Comment by Mikko Sandt — Sat, Mar 18th, 2006 @ 5:37 pm
Why do so many Finnish social democrats sit on the boards of private Finnish corporations, or are employed by banks and other free-market institutions?
Yes why? The answer could be read in any economics text book - The Economics for Dummies would probably be the right one in your case. Now, I don’t want to spoil it for you completely, so here’s just a teaser: the board memebers (now slowly) a r e e l e c t e d. By whom? you ask confused. Is it the little evil state? The Communist Social Democratic Party? Well, let’s keep that as a cliffhanger, so that in order to find out the answer you really have to pick up a book (a retangualr thing made of paper).
(The entertainment value of FinnPundit is wearing off, don’t you agree? It’s just not credible anymore; nobody’s that stupid in real life. Why don’t you try to come up with another, funnier character … or I may just have stop reading “Phil’s blog”.)
Comment by Anonymous — Sat, Mar 18th, 2006 @ 5:54 pm
Phil’s typical double standards. In other words, Tuomioja has no right to invest his money. If he does so, it’s corruption. If he keeps his UPM stocks, he is corrupted. If he sells them, he is corrupted. If he doesn’t invest his money, he’s a “stupid commie” and corrupted.
That sums up Phil’s naive 4-yeard-old’s thought process. As someone said, he is completely indoctrinated and blind.
Comment by Anonymous — Sat, Mar 18th, 2006 @ 6:04 pm
It is tiring to argue against these childish gibes. There actually would also be intellectually distinguished defences of the free market. This labelling of social democrats as communists is not any different from labeling them as social fascists. Not that I would expect either Finnpundit or Phil to catch the reference. Knowledge does not matter, only shallow prejudices. This site is getting quite tedious.
Comment by mjr — Sat, Mar 18th, 2006 @ 7:20 pm
Tuomioja sold his stocks for the purchase price. SDP are still a bunch of twats ruining the Finnish economy though.
Comment by Anton — Sat, Mar 18th, 2006 @ 8:06 pm
Well, that is problem with many Blogs (dare I say most?). Things need to be condensed into easily digestable black/white or right/left chunks as quickly as possible (so it won’t become ‘old news’, the horror) without too much research into facts or seeing the ’shades of grey’.
Comment by Mr. S — Sat, Mar 18th, 2006 @ 9:46 pm
I do agree with the most of the previous comments and doubly so with #9 and #11. Phil, your blog, after associating it with the Finnpundit, has lost almost totally it’s entertainment value not to mention the little credibility it used to have. I am quite sure that your diminishing presence is caused by other commitments but, as a chair man of the board, you should do a better job in delegating. We do’t mind provocative, different and challengin points of view but this particullar one trick pony is not doing it. In the name of the humanity, I beg of you, let the pony go to greener pastures!
Comment by Anonymous — Sun, Mar 19th, 2006 @ 12:50 am
The above drivel is by me and, unfortunately, I forgot to put my name on it.
Comment by Petteri — Sun, Mar 19th, 2006 @ 12:52 am
5. Anna: Tuomioja is like a human shield the Social Democrats use to remind people that they’re a leftist party. Meanwhile the Social Democrats are of course aware of the fact that the Centre is going to lose votes because of their agricultural policy failure, so at the moment it looks like there’s not going to be another punamulta. Therefore these UPM things should be dealt with publically now rather than later, because leftist moralising can’t be the issue anymore next year when they might have to go into government with Kokoomus. Yet of course they still need the votes. I’d put Tuomioja on the stage too.
Interesting analysis. But if indeed Tuomioja acts as shield of sorts, it seems to me that he’s also a bit of a loose cannon, mouthing off inanities that have a way of backfiring. Can the SDP rely on him to keep in step when they go forming coalitions? It seems that this swipe against Ahtisaari did no good at all to the party, given SDP’s comfortable positions within corporate boards.
And, in the end, what does Tuomioja think Ahtisaari should do? Resign? Does he really see that as some sort of an effective outcome?
Comment by Finnpundit — Sun, Mar 19th, 2006 @ 1:44 am
Ahtisaari is an old profiteer and fat cat. No surprises. He’s practically so corrupt - I’m not discrediting his world-class political competence - that he’s a straw man in an argument.
Comment by sepisp — Sun, Mar 19th, 2006 @ 5:32 am
“This site is getting quite tedious.”
Yes, I can already see a decline in the number of pissed lefties expressing their frustration here… oh wait, no I can’t. Phil’s blog is just getting more popular.
I think it’s funny how people ignore the actual issue here, which is Tuomioja’s critique of Ahtisaari. How to spin this so that both social democrats, Tuomioja and Ahtisaari would look good? How to make Ahtisaari not look like a greedy bastard and on the other hand, how to make Tuomioja not look like a whiney bitch?
Comment by Nirva — Sun, Mar 19th, 2006 @ 12:30 pm
Interesting analysis. But if indeed Tuomioja acts as shield of sorts, it seems to me that he’s also a bit of a loose cannon, mouthing off inanities that have a way of backfiring. Can the SDP rely on him to keep in step when they go forming coalitions? It seems that this swipe against Ahtisaari did no good at all to the party, given SDP’s comfortable positions within corporate boards.
How’s that? SDP is the biggest party in Finland, and the recent poll gives them a percentage higher than in any other poll since the last elections. I don’t think it’s backfiring. They don’t have to convince you, do they, I mean you’re not an SDP voter, nor will you ever be whatever they say. The actual voter basis they have is solid enough, and Tuomioja is mainly considered the humane guy keeping the (much needed) realist Heinäluoma at least appearing leftist. It’s a great balance.
The dialogue between Ahtisaari and certain other segments of SDP (that would be including Halonen at times) is mainly about NATO membership. It’s fun to follow, a little credibility contest within SDP. But again, such dialogues won’t really imo have an effect when it comes to the elections.
Other interesting stuff happening, it seems the Greens have now been employed by Kokoomus in lapland to ensure the re-election of Vilen. I still don’t get what’s so special about Vilen that they keep doing this for him, last time it was the Christian Democrats, and I believe they paid rather dearly for that (national level) alliance, losing a couple of seats.
Comment by Anna — Sun, Mar 19th, 2006 @ 8:27 pm
Tuomioja tells that companies should stay more in Finish ownership and Finish representatives should have more influence in the board of corporations in order to secure Finest social interest.
And what is he doing? He sells shares out of Finish ownership and criticises Finish board members, asking them to resign.
==> he is crazy and makes unlogical propaganda.
If Finish corporations should stay to at least 50% in Finish ownership then the flow of foreign capital is limited.
What would UPM, Stora Enso or Nokia be without a lot of foreign capital? If they still would exist they would be less than 10 % of present size. How much less tax revenue Finland would get in such situation?
All former East European countries would have economically overtaken Finland.
To simplify it: Most Volvo drivers would be Lada- men! How to finance in such situation the welfare system? How far Finland would then be behind Sweden? Is that what Toumenoja and other SDP guys want?
rgds Tom
Comment by Tom — Mon, Mar 20th, 2006 @ 10:50 am
Btw, it’s starting.
http://www.hs.fi/teksti/tuoreet/artikkeli/1135219230523
There was also a story in Uutispäivä Demari about TKK working with the Pentagon.
Yep, elections are on their way
Comment by Anna — Tue, Mar 21st, 2006 @ 2:42 pm