Comments on: Iran's Election: Persian Blogosphere http://www.mideastyouth.com/2009/05/28/irans-election-persian-blogosphere/ Thinking Ahead Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:46:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: KomaGawa http://www.mideastyouth.com/2009/05/28/irans-election-persian-blogosphere/#comment-23020 KomaGawa Sat, 30 May 2009 14:43:16 +0000 http://www.mideastyouth.com/?p=4266#comment-23020 Elizabeth and Shahrazad, I appreciate greatly what you have written. I have been discussing the characteristics of different political systems coincidentally with my students recently. I mentioned Israel and what little I knew about their parlimentary system...I am relieved to confirm my general comments by Elizabeth's opinions here. And about Iran, I am ALWAYS interested in what is happening to my students there (even though they don't tell me much in English). I suspected the range of results for what we can reasonably expect in Iran, and you have confirmed that here too. I continue to be rather hopeful. I used to be Edo River, but changed my name because actually the Koma river is closer to my home. Elizabeth and Shahrazad, I appreciate greatly what you have written. I have been discussing the characteristics of different political systems coincidentally with my students recently. I mentioned Israel and what little I knew about their parlimentary system…I am relieved to confirm my general comments by Elizabeth’s opinions here. And about Iran, I am ALWAYS interested in what is happening to my students there (even though they don’t tell me much in English). I suspected the range of results for what we can reasonably expect in Iran, and you have confirmed that here too. I continue to be rather hopeful.
I used to be Edo River, but changed my name because actually the Koma river is closer to my home.

]]> By: Elizabeth (Israel) http://www.mideastyouth.com/2009/05/28/irans-election-persian-blogosphere/#comment-23019 Elizabeth (Israel) Sat, 30 May 2009 10:10:43 +0000 http://www.mideastyouth.com/?p=4266#comment-23019 Shahrazad, Very interesting post and very useful for poor people who can't read Persian. I think the most important statistic of these elections would be the number of people who decide not to vote. I honestly don't think that there would be a significant change in policies with some other president. The repression of student demonstrations and closing down of newspapers were prevalent during Khatami's term, when the majlis was controlled by reformers. My only hope is that the next president will be able to do something about the inflation and unemployment. Regarding elections in Israel: they are monitored. Every party has the right to a representative in a polling station. This is actually one of the reasons why elections in Israel are so expensive, since each of the monitors gets a nice paycheck for sitting in a chair all day and then spending a couple of hours counting votes. Obviously, there are still cases of fraud, but they're quite rare. What differentiates Israeli and Iranian elections is the screening process. In Iran, most people who want to run are not allowed to by the Guardian Council. In Israel, very few candidates, who espouse racist views (hard-right) or support armed struggle against Israel and the liquidation of Israel (very hard left), are not allowed to run. The interpretation of the law by the progressive courts in Israel is quite lenient. Arab parties, for example, whose members proclaimed support for "muqawama" and insistence on the "right of return", were still allowed to run in the last elections. Balad, the party formerly headed by Azmi Bashara, who fled Israel to avoid facing charges of espionage for Hizbollah during the 2nd Lebanon War, was allowed to run and won 3 seats (out of 120). You might point out that Lieberman's party and two other right-wing parties that support ideas like loyalty pledges, which are racist, were allowed to run too. Still, I think that the fact that the political system and the court system allow pretty much for every party to run, even ones that supports the end of Israel as a Jewish state (right of return) and discrimination against the Arab population (loyalty pledges), goes to show that Israeli elections are democratic. Shahrazad,
Very interesting post and very useful for poor people who can’t read Persian.
I think the most important statistic of these elections would be the number of people who decide not to vote. I honestly don’t think that there would be a significant change in policies with some other president. The repression of student demonstrations and closing down of newspapers were prevalent during Khatami’s term, when the majlis was controlled by reformers. My only hope is that the next president will be able to do something about the inflation and unemployment.

Regarding elections in Israel: they are monitored. Every party has the right to a representative in a polling station. This is actually one of the reasons why elections in Israel are so expensive, since each of the monitors gets a nice paycheck for sitting in a chair all day and then spending a couple of hours counting votes. Obviously, there are still cases of fraud, but they’re quite rare.
What differentiates Israeli and Iranian elections is the screening process. In Iran, most people who want to run are not allowed to by the Guardian Council. In Israel, very few candidates, who espouse racist views (hard-right) or support armed struggle against Israel and the liquidation of Israel (very hard left), are not allowed to run. The interpretation of the law by the progressive courts in Israel is quite lenient. Arab parties, for example, whose members proclaimed support for “muqawama” and insistence on the “right of return”, were still allowed to run in the last elections. Balad, the party formerly headed by Azmi Bashara, who fled Israel to avoid facing charges of espionage for Hizbollah during the 2nd Lebanon War, was allowed to run and won 3 seats (out of 120). You might point out that Lieberman’s party and two other right-wing parties that support ideas like loyalty pledges, which are racist, were allowed to run too. Still, I think that the fact that the political system and the court system allow pretty much for every party to run, even ones that supports the end of Israel as a Jewish state (right of return) and discrimination against the Arab population (loyalty pledges), goes to show that Israeli elections are democratic.

]]> By: Michael W. http://www.mideastyouth.com/2009/05/28/irans-election-persian-blogosphere/#comment-23018 Michael W. Fri, 29 May 2009 16:17:40 +0000 http://www.mideastyouth.com/?p=4266#comment-23018 Shahrazad, I'm just asking because how do we know the Supreme Leader doesn't just pick the President. How do we know it's not an illusion. I suspect Israel's elections are "real" because of several reasons. 1. The government changed parties through elections several times in a rather short amount of time. 2. Arab parties winning seats. 3. PM's kicked out of office because of criminal charges. 4. A few early elections because of collapse of government/coalition. 5. It takes weeks for a leading party to form a coalition. 6. No party has ever won enough seats to form a government on its own. As for Iran - has the Supreme Leader ever been seriously challenged? Shahrazad,

I’m just asking because how do we know the Supreme Leader doesn’t just pick the President. How do we know it’s not an illusion.

I suspect Israel’s elections are “real” because of several reasons.
1. The government changed parties through elections several times in a rather short amount of time.
2. Arab parties winning seats.
3. PM’s kicked out of office because of criminal charges.
4. A few early elections because of collapse of government/coalition.
5. It takes weeks for a leading party to form a coalition.
6. No party has ever won enough seats to form a government on its own.

As for Iran – has the Supreme Leader ever been seriously challenged?

]]> By: Shahrazad (Iran) http://www.mideastyouth.com/2009/05/28/irans-election-persian-blogosphere/#comment-23017 Shahrazad (Iran) Fri, 29 May 2009 10:12:07 +0000 http://www.mideastyouth.com/?p=4266#comment-23017 Micheal W, are Israeli elections monitored? You can get the answer that way.. :) Micheal W, are Israeli elections monitored? You can get the answer that way.. :)

]]> By: Michael W. http://www.mideastyouth.com/2009/05/28/irans-election-persian-blogosphere/#comment-23016 Michael W. Thu, 28 May 2009 19:56:21 +0000 http://www.mideastyouth.com/?p=4266#comment-23016 Are these elections monitored? Are these elections monitored?

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