“Perhaps you need to get smarter leaders first before giving them more money”
@ 8:08 am The above quote from ‘Freeridin Franklin’ ‘hfb’ hit me as “my sentiments exactly” trying to figure out what to write. I’ve been fuming and spewing bile ever since that smarmy Paavo Väyrynen showed his mug on the telly. Now those who do not know of him are very lucky. If you need to find the most epitome Kekkoslovakian politician there is left, it is him. Paavo Väyrynen started his political career as a 23-year old MP in the year I was born, 1970, so I have been seeing his mug very often on the black & white telly. His career was raised by his good connections with Kekkonen and that old drunk Ahti Karjalainen.
- 1975-1976: Minister of Education
- 1976-1977: Minister of Labour
- 1977-1982: Minister of Foreign Affairs
- 1983-1987: Minister of Forgein Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister
- 1991-1993: Minister of Forgein Affairs
And the chairman of the Centre:
- 1972-1980: Vice-chairman of the Keskusta party
- 1980-1990: Chairman
Paavo Väyrynen was one of the last of the “old cadre” of pro-soviet leaders. He made his PhD dissertation on Finnish Foreign Policy in Ã…bo Akedemi in 1988, stating that “the political relationship between Finland and the USSR will not change in the foreseeable future”. Next year the Eastern Block had switched to market economy, and 1991 the USSR ceased existing.
Now as a politician he got some infamy over the jalasmökkiskandaali, basically living in Helsinki in an big apartment but having his official residence in a trailer cabin in his constituency in Keminmaa and of course collecting tax-free subsides for “travel expenses” and “keeping a second apartment” and so forth, probably making his media image somewhat “strained” The term “mediapeli” was probably invented by him at the time of the Presidential Elections of 1994, when after the fall of Kekkoslovakia he tried to implement Väyryslandia. The naughty press dug up some old documents from 1981, when Väyrynen was campaigning for Ahti Karjalainen’s election and allegedly tried to play the “Soviet Jack” with his liaison with the USSR “trade attache” Viktor Vladimirov. Of course the press was totaully to blame for his loss. After being so rudely pushed aside the people voted him to Brussels to the EU Parliament in 1995, with some 44000 votes - in the vain hope of getting him out of the country. He has been trying to wiggle back in ever since, being the presidential candidate, as apparently the “Kemijoki of thoughts” can’t compete with he other Eurocrats. His teflon-coating seems to make all scandals bounce, like trying to get state subsidies for a college of his own, when the Ministry of Education refused to accredit it.
Oh well, those drunk Laplanders voted him back to Parliament and now the slimeball is refusing to hand in his mandate letter for the Finnish Parliament. Väyrynen wants a minister position or to be the speaker of Parliament. Or he has said he is “available” for the position, but if he isn’t “given” a high-ranking position he will continue in the EU Parliament. Now these kindergarten antics are explained by a simple equation of greedy politician maths. If he hands in his mandate, the EU parliament position will end in 3 days, and he’ll come a member for Finnish Parliament - and cannot return if he’s not given a high-ranking job. Now a minister or the speaker get not only prestige, but also m-o-n-e-y… And its all about money, the salary of a MP after taxes is about 5000 euros, while an EU parliament member is getting some 10 000 in cash. So of course, why would he come to serve the people on such a meagre income?
BTW, a less fiery article on the antics of Paavo Väyrynen is in the HS international.
I’ll never understand Keskusta voters. Juhantalo was a good man for getting money into his constituency, I’ve heard, so voting for that slimeball made sense. But what has Väyrynen done for anybody lately? And Jäätteenmäki who nearly blew their electoral victory the last time, what kind of masochists would re-elect her?
Comment by prince of dorkness — Wed, Mar 28th, 2007 @ 9:56 am
Well väyrynen got huge amounts of votes from extremely small district, so he has the right to make demands. I call it democracy. Väyrynen has been like a national hero of lapplands keskusta and involved in municipal council of Keminmaa and etc. Of course media thinks this is a comeback by a mummy since they live in south and have propably forgotten this man.
Comment by Somedude — Wed, Mar 28th, 2007 @ 10:41 am
Embarassment for Kesk.
Comment by Porolainen — Wed, Mar 28th, 2007 @ 10:57 am
He wants a high position it is said. Fine. Rasie him up a flag pole then.
Comment by Captain Haddock — Wed, Mar 28th, 2007 @ 12:03 pm
Nice post, Hank! (who thanks to global warming does no have to change Finland for Caribistan, hurray!)
prince of dorkness wrote: I’ll never understand Keskusta voters.
Period! Nothing more.
May I perhaps add: I’ll never understand Laplanders?!
Comment by majava — Wed, Mar 28th, 2007 @ 12:22 pm
…and it’s hfb’s quote originally (and was one post later quoted by FF)
Comment by majava — Wed, Mar 28th, 2007 @ 12:36 pm
Paavo Väyrynen was my childhood hero and i want him back to politics look what he is done alredy RETRO KEKKOSLOVAKIA HURRAA HURRAA HURRAA !!!!!!
Comment by katas — Wed, Mar 28th, 2007 @ 12:55 pm
The reason why he wants renewed visibility in Finland is pretty obvious. Don’t think a second he has ever forgot his presidential ambitions. In 2012 he will be only 65, still young and charismatic enough to mobilize the youth vote ;).
Comment by N. Siinistö — Wed, Mar 28th, 2007 @ 1:25 pm
I said already in 1994 I’ll emigrate if Finland comes Väyryslandia… I rather live in Caribistan.
Comment by Hank W. — Wed, Mar 28th, 2007 @ 2:02 pm
Classic Väyrynen!
When he was beaten in the Presidential elections by Mara, his reaction was not one of mere disappointment (which would have been understandable in that situation); he was actually hurt and indignant, as if he had been deprived of a divine right.
And don’t forget the stunt that he pulled after the EU referendum: The people had voted in favor of membership, but he arranged a filibuster to depay Parliamentary ratification - reasoning that this might encourage the Swedes to vote against it in their own plebicite.
Comment by Kimmo W. — Wed, Mar 28th, 2007 @ 4:23 pm
It’s not that our leaders aren’t smart enough, it’s that they’re politicians.
Comment by Anonymous — Wed, Mar 28th, 2007 @ 4:56 pm
Speaking of EU parliamentarians, one of Sauli Niinistö’s campaign ads (in the Finnish Parliament race) read:
“Time to get back to work.”
So what has he been doing in Brussels all these years? Not working?
And the votes came in droves. What is his charm? Every year he looks more and more like a bobble-head figurine of himself. Pictures of him “smiling” when he won the election here made him look like a gross ton of razor wire was being fitted in his bottom.
Comment by RAVE THE DAVE — Thu, Mar 29th, 2007 @ 9:27 am
Good question Dave (although I beat you to it :)), except that he was in Luxembourg. He wasn’t an MEP but a Director at the European Investment Bank. And I don’t get his charm either. I simply see him as a harmless figure in our politics, tasteless and odourless even. Could that be it?
He does seem to be consistent and have some common sense, though, which can be rare in such a “high ranking” politician these days.
Comment by Pave — Thu, Mar 29th, 2007 @ 9:54 am
“Good question Dave (although I beat you to it
), except that he was in Luxembourg. He wasn’t an MEP but a Director at the European Investment Bank.”
Whoops.
Guess I should “get back to work” on wiki soon.
I still think he’s wierd looking, that part I got right anyway.
Comment by RAVE THE DAVE — Thu, Mar 29th, 2007 @ 10:11 am
I have notice Paavo (my hero) have great ralationship with Tuomas Enbuske who hosting nowdays talk show program ylen ykkönen. I think Paavo is also Tuomas childhood hero maybe is the same appeal what Kekkonen saw Paavo. Really there is some strange appealing in Paavo Väyrynen
Comment by katas — Thu, Mar 29th, 2007 @ 12:55 pm
Katas -
Are you sure about Enbuske? I thought he was too “hip and cool” for Paavo. Maybe it was just sarcasm or irony you took seriously? Väyrynen’s book series about - well - himself was pretty much the uncoolest, unhippest thing in this country’s history. He smells even worse than Kemi.
Comment by Pave — Thu, Mar 29th, 2007 @ 1:49 pm
Tabloids compared niinistö to all kinds of heroes, including jesus. (Sauli survived the 2004 tsunami and came back even stronger)
Comment by Somedude — Thu, Mar 29th, 2007 @ 2:21 pm
Paavo Väyrynen is old family friend of Tuomas Enbuske he mentioned it somewhere of course that means childhood hero
Comment by katas — Thu, Mar 29th, 2007 @ 2:46 pm