How the Dutch do irony....

[Gob]

King Willem-Alexander delivered a message to the Dutch people from the government in a nationally televised address: the welfare state of the 20th century is gone.




In its place a "participation society" is emerging, in which people must take responsibility for their own future and create their own social and financial safety nets, with less help from the national government.

The king traveled past waving fans in an ornate horse-drawn carriage to the 13th-century Hall of Knights in The Hague for the monarch's traditional annual address on the day the government presents its budget for the coming year. It was Willem-Alexander's first appearance on the national stage since former Queen Beatrix abdicated in April and he ascended to the throne.

"The shift to a 'participation society' is especially visible in social security and long-term care," the king said, reading out to lawmakers a speech written for him by Prime Minister Mark Rutte's government.

"The classic welfare state of the second half of the 20th century in these areas in particular brought forth arrangements that are unsustainable in their current form."

Rutte may be hoping that the pomp and ceremony surrounding the king and his popular wife, Queen Maxima, will provide a diversion from the gloomy reality of a budget full of unpopular new spending cuts he revealed later in the day.

A series of recent polls have shown that confidence in Rutte's government is at record low levels, and that most Dutch people — along with labor unions, employers' associations and many economists — believe the Cabinet's austerity policies are at least partially to blame as the Dutch economy has worsened even as recoveries are underway in neighboring Germany, France and Britain.

[rubato]

Queen Maxima

Well that sounds promising. Any pictures?

yrs,
rubato

[Econoline]

The Queen is a Japanese car?

[rubato]

High redline, good mileage, great resale value.

yrs,
rubato

[Econoline]

That's right....and probably true of the car, too!

ETA:

[Big RR]

"The classic welfare state of the second half of the 20th century in these areas in particular brought forth arrangements that are unsustainable in their current form."

But somehow a monarchy, and a guy being pulled through the streets in an ornate horse-drawn carriage at government (taxpayers') expense for no real reason, is sustainable? I don't get it,

[Gob]

Hence the "Dutch do irony" title BigRR.

[Big RR]

I did miss the title; thanks for pointing it out.

[rubato]

I did miss the title; thanks for pointing it out.

The speech is written by someone else and only read by the king.


Yrs,
Rubato

[dgs49]

I suspect the King indicated what he wanted to say, and a speech-writer polished it a bit.

Most Europeans OBVIOUSLY do not have any problem sustaining the bizarre custom of a monarchy. They take pride in it and revel in its history. Besides, most of the trappings of wealth held by the Monarch are in fact owned by the country itself. It's not like he could go out and trade in the gilded carriage on a new 911 Turbo.

[Scooter]

I suspect the King indicated what he wanted to say, and a speech-writer polished it a bit.

No. The workings of a constitutional monarchy is yet another subject about which you are manifestly ignorant. The speech he gave is the equivalent of what in the Commonwealth realms would be called the Speech from the Throne, a speech outlining the government's agenda which is prepared by the ministers of the Crown and read by the monarch.

Most Europeans OBVIOUSLY do not have any problem sustaining the bizarre custom of a monarchy.

For starters, most Europeans do not live in a monarchy (yet another demonstration of your ignorance), but those that do enjoy some of the highest living standards in the world, with low criminality and domestic tranquillity. Perhaps they know what they are doing.

Unlike your completely dysfunctional government, that can't manage to pass a budget or simple laws that are supported by 90% of the population.

[Big RR]

[quotemost Europeans do not live in a monarchy (yet another demonstration of your ignorance), but those that do enjoy some of the highest living standards in the world, with low criminality and domestic tranquillity][/quote]

scooter, are you actually attributing the presence of these desirable ends to the presence of an inherited position as nominal head of state? I honestly don't see any connection, but invite you to explain the nexus between a monarch and prosperity/tranquility; otherwise, it's just a coincidence--like the rooster being responsible for the sunrise (or Reagan ending the cold war).

And FWIW, many of those countries with monarchies also have a national church, and often enforce payment of a church tax by collecting it through their tax collection services. Would you also maintain that this combination of church and state would lead to prosperity and tranquility? I wouldn't.

[Crackpot]

Modern western Monarchys do act as a limiting switch on the countries they govern. The threat of dissoving the elected government keeps them in line.

[Big RR]

Perhaps Crackpot, but how often is that done, if ever? And if it were done, do you think the citizens of the country would stand for it? Even in countries where the monarchs are popular, I have rarely heard of them being respected for their knowledge or intelligence (or even respected generally--in Norway or Sweden, I forget which, the king was put on the public waiting list to get a parking space in the capital city. I do recall something happening in Australia a while back, but I've never heard of anything else.

[Scooter]

scooter, are you actually attributing the presence of these desirable ends to the presence of an inherited position as nominal head of state?

Of course I do not; I point them out to refute the claim that monarchy somehow by its very existence makes a country backward looking.

And FWIW, many of those countries with monarchies also have a national church, and often enforce payment of a church tax by collecting it through their tax collection services.

I am aware of Denmark and Sweden being monarchies that support churches through taxation. Churches are also supported through taxation in Austria, Croatia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Italy and Switzerland, all republics. So I can't see how monarchies have in any way cornered the market on this particular form of stupidity.

[Big RR]

Scooter--re the church tax, of course some republics collect such a tax as well. Like a monarchy, I think it has little to do with prosperity either way.

[oldr_n_wsr]

the king was put on the public waiting list to get a parking space in the capital city

Just had to laugh at that one. You would think his limo would just drop him off and circle the block until he's ready to go. And don't those castles have at least a one car garage?

[Big RR]

oldr--I'm not sure; maybe the king has just an office? I recall hearing the story years ago on NPR; they were talking with the woman who ran the parking bureau and she confirmed he was on a list that should last 2 years or so. And when the host said "But he's the king", she said "And he can wait like everyone else"--bureaucracy (and equality) at its finest.

Maybe that's why a lot of the Scandinavian monarchs ride bicycles?

[Scooter]

He can join the hundreds of thousands in Amsterdam who ride their bicycles to get around town. I doubt it would kill him. His mother would sometimes be seen doing her own grocery shopping when she was queen.

Although if you heard that story years ago it must have been about someone else - he only succeeded to the throne in April of this year.

[Big RR]

It was about someone else; as I said, I think it was the king of Sweden or Norway.