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I recall reading somewhere that turnout in this election was lower than the 2009 election, and that younger Portuguese voters had some of the highest abstention rates. Is that accurate?

If so it would go a long way to validating Migeru's point above about a lost generation not being willing to use a failed political system to produce change.

And the world will live as one

by Montereyan (robert at calitics dot com) on Sat Jun 18th, 2011 at 01:28:10 PM EST
Yes but it is not a massive difference from 2009.

My view is that the majority of the Lost generation is... erm... lost. The ones that talk are reasonable, smart. But my feeling is that they are a minority. When the pain really starts we will see what kind of generation is this. For now there are positive signs, but we have to wait and see.

by cagatacos on Sat Jun 18th, 2011 at 02:22:14 PM EST
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The smart ones need to start creatively organizing an Alternative Economy with entities and structures capable of withstanding the coming Greater Depression.

I say "Greater Depression" because even on ET we haven't factored-in GW and the various Peaks staring us in the face which are going to be negatively affecting global economic (and political and social and yadda-yadda) activity over the next 10 years.  

She believed in nothing; only her skepticism kept her from being an atheist. -- Jean-Paul Sartre

by ATinNM on Tue Jun 21st, 2011 at 01:36:13 PM EST
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That is why I think the transition and permaculture movement is a part of the solution.

And they seem to be a fairly big and smart group.

by cagatacos on Tue Jun 21st, 2011 at 03:00:29 PM EST
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Wholeheartedly agree.

She believed in nothing; only her skepticism kept her from being an atheist. -- Jean-Paul Sartre
by ATinNM on Tue Jun 21st, 2011 at 03:01:02 PM EST
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Well, the various peaks are not an insurmountable challenge.

An insurmountable challenge to a society that expects steady exponential growth, yes. But that is not a requirement for maintaining a comfortable and pleasant society.

Climate chaos may or may not be. Unfortunately, we will probably learn whether it is, even though betting your civilisation on the toss of a coin strikes me as a rather stupid thing to do.

- Jake

Friends come and go. Enemies accumulate.

by JakeS (JangoSierra 'at' gmail 'dot' com) on Tue Jun 21st, 2011 at 03:57:38 PM EST
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Well, if a financial crisis months to days away cannot compel our leaders to abandon common wisdom and do something, I'm sceptical about addressing (and addressing in time) issues that seem more than one election cycle away...

*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.
by DoDo on Wed Jun 22nd, 2011 at 04:26:40 AM EST
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