Favorite current world leader

[Aalmark]

An obscure, unpopular Danish politician who's party has kissed the collective arses of Helle's party? Hey, to each their own.

Can't agree with you on that one. She won them 17 seats for a reason. And I was also including her recent work taking on Google as a European Commissioner.

She won 17 seats, yes. Now, she is set to win a lower number, as she has become unpopular. Unless you watch too much Borgen, any love for obscure Danish politicians strikes me as a bit strange, but I could care less.

Why take on Google? For providing us with high quality, speedy, and user friendly internet service? Or maybe for pioneering the first self driving cars?

[Costa Fierro]

Stephen Harper's pretty good in comparison compared to other leaders.

He's just boring.

….Is there a Stephen Harper not of Canada that I am unaware of? Because the one I know has preceded over unpalatable at best and disastrous at worst environmental, social, economic, and foreign policy.

Tony Abbott. John Key. David Cameron.

[Anollasia]

Stephen Harper's pretty good in comparison compared to other leaders.

He's just boring.

Sounds like my kinda guy.

Stephen Harper?

Stephen Harper's pretty good in comparison compared to other leaders.

He's just boring.

….Is there a Stephen Harper not of Canada that I am unaware of? Because the one I know has preceded over unpalatable at best and disastrous at worst environmental, social, economic, and foreign policy.

I don't like him, but Canada's problems are relatively small compared to other countries'.

….Is there a Stephen Harper not of Canada that I am unaware of? Because the one I know has preceded over unpalatable at best and disastrous at worst environmental, social, economic, and foreign policy.

I once met a Steven Harper in London a few years ago, had a good time at the pubs.

[Aalmark]

….Is there a Stephen Harper not of Canada that I am unaware of? Because the one I know has preceded over unpalatable at best and disastrous at worst environmental, social, economic, and foreign policy.

Tony Abbott. John Key. David Cameron.

Comparing John Key and Dave Cameron to Abbott seems unfair. Key is the best of the four, even if he's got a fetish for hair.

[MERIZoC]

….Is there a Stephen Harper not of Canada that I am unaware of? Because the one I know has preceded over unpalatable at best and disastrous at worst environmental, social, economic, and foreign policy.

Tony Abbott. John Key. David Cameron.

…And?

[Confederate Ramenia]

He's the savior of western civilization.

Russia isn't Western, nor is Putin, but perhaps that was your joke.

Yep. NSG is closeted /pol/ with names and there is (or was) a strong cult of Putin on /pol/

[Aalmark]

Russia isn't Western, nor is Putin, but perhaps that was your joke.

Yep. NSG is closeted /pol/ with names and there is (or was) a strong cult of Putin on /pol/

/pol/ is hilarious.

No, no, NSG is like tumblr-lite. It's for those who aren't angry feminist otherkins, but for those who think we should put angry feminist otherkins on a pedestal.

[Costa Fierro]

Tony Abbott. John Key. David Cameron.

…And?

All Stephen Harpers of their respective countries. You have Tony Abbott and David Cameron with massive cuts to healthcare and education, John Key with a bill legitimizing spy agencies' spying against New Zealanders. Abbott invoking the "ANZAC spirit" to jump aboard the bandwagon in Iraq, Cameron and his insistence to leave the EU.

Funny thing is, they've all actually done fairly well when it came to social policies. Both Key and Cameron presided over marriage equality legislation and Abbott recently introduced a budget where those receiving welfare had to have their children immunized as one of the conditions for the welfare.

[Ever Victorious Iron Willed Commanders]

I like Kim Jong Un. However, my actual "favorite" that's not an absolute crazy glorious general is the King of Spain.

[Venatorium]

[MERIZoC]

…And?

All Stephen Harpers of their respective countries. You have Tony Abbott and David Cameron with massive cuts to healthcare and education, John Key with a bill legitimizing spy agencies' spying against New Zealanders. Abbott invoking the "ANZAC spirit" to jump aboard the bandwagon in Iraq, Cameron and his insistence to leave the EU.

Funny thing is, they've all actually done fairly well when it came to social policies. Both Key and Cameron presided over marriage equality legislation and Abbott recently introduced a budget where those receiving welfare had to have their children immunized as one of the conditions for the welfare.

I think you misunderstood what I meant. I was making fun of the assertion that Harper was okay, and literally asking if there was any other world leader named Stephen Harper.

[New Reutlingen]

Russia isn't Western, nor is Putin, but perhaps that was your joke.

Yep. NSG is closeted /pol/ with names and there is (or was) a strong cult of Putin on /pol/

"Anarchism!"
"Liberalism!"
"M-Muh Communism!"
"TRIGGERED!"

Sounds like Tumblr, not like /pol/.

[Replevion]

Russia isn't Western, nor is Putin, but perhaps that was your joke.

Yep. NSG is closeted /pol/ with names and there is (or was) a strong cult of Putin on /pol/

If this is an extension of /pol/ does that mean I can get dibs to run the local chapter of the Julie Borowski fanclub?

Yep. NSG is closeted /pol/ with names and there is (or was) a strong cult of Putin on /pol/

/pol/ is hilarious.

No, no, NSG is like tumblr-lite. It's for those who aren't angry feminist otherkins, but for those who think we should put angry feminist otherkins on a pedestal.

I for one have always been willing to fight in all directions, though it's made me pariah. I've been called an MRA and a feminist in the same day.

Yep. NSG is closeted /pol/ with names and there is (or was) a strong cult of Putin on /pol/

"Anarchism!"
"Liberalism!"
"M-Muh Communism!"
"TRIGGERED!"

Sounds like Tumblr, not like /pol/.

If this is tumblr, where is all the porn? I needz mah porn! Hell, that's the only reason I go to 4chan and tumblr.

[The Bolshevik State]

Putin is winning in the poll...I-I just...

Anyway, I don't really have a "favorite" world leader. I mean, Obama is fine (I'll be happy when Hilary is President). I know this is unpopular but I kind of like David Cameron. There's really no one leader I think is great. Eh, we'll just say Pope Francis, he's awesome.

But I mean, of course, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin is worlds strongest leader. All tremble in fear as he single handly recreates the glorious Soviet Union/Russian Empire (Which ever one you support).

[Astrolinium]

Beyoncé. She is the guiding light we need in these dark times of turmoil.

[Crimiea]

No Angela Merkel? She is chancellor for a reluctant hegemon for crying out loud.

[New Werpland]

Viktor Orban.

This is my #2, after Putin. He's brilliant.

You like modern day Genghis Khan?

[Jaxukuk]

Nazarbayev is the obvious answer.

HE PLAYS TEH GUITAR!

Like to see Elizabeth II do that.

[True Erudite]

POPE FRANCIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Dokrib Choseon]

Xi Jinping (please spell his name properly). My girlfriend's father works for him after all. Probably the second-greatest leader the PRC has ever seen; doing a LOT to get rid of corruption and backwardness here and move China into a position of leadership in the 21st century.

Kim Jong Eun gets an honorable mention as well - though to be honest I haven't read particularly much of his own theory to really comment on him as an individual apart from the Korean Workers' Party, which is probably the most ideologically-advanced party, in terms of composite membership in the world.

Scientific Socialism for the win!

[MERIZoC]

If you think Xi Jinping promotes anything anywhere near resembling socialism, you need to look more closely.

[Calimera II]

Oops, edited not on purpose

[Dokrib Choseon]

If you think Xi Jinping promotes anything anywhere near resembling socialism, you need to look more closely.

I live in China, I'm dating the daughter of a CCP Member who is on the Commission for Discipline Inspection overseeing a rural county of the province I lived in (where there's historically been a LOT of corruption). I've had discussions with him about his work, even sat in on a few meetings because I was interested. I don't know how much "closer" I could possibly look.

The general vibe I get is that while opportunism/corruption had rather festered for the past few decades, Xi is taking a VERY hard line stance against it. It's not just talk, a LOT of middle-level party staff in this province have been dismissed from office based on corruption. It's literally my girlfriend's father's job to find people abusing their power and report it up to higher government authorities for penalties; a branch of government that doesn't exist in most other governments.

As well, the CCP in the rural county is doing a lot of work to promote literacy in endangered languages of Chinese minorities (he oversees a majority Qiang county).

I'm not an idealist, so I don't suspect Xi or anyone else will meet some textbook-perfect, arbitrary pie in the sky definition of "true socialism (TM)". But he's damn sure working in that direction, and he gets props from me for that.

[Costa Fierro]

Xi Jinping (please spell his name properly). My girlfriend's father works for him after all. Probably the second-greatest leader the PRC has ever seen; doing a LOT to get rid of corruption and backwardness here and move China into a position of leadership in the 21st century.

By "doing a lot", you mean "going after his political enemies". You look at Bo Xilai and Zhou Yangkang, two individuals who have been "investigated" for "abuse of power" (irony!) and "corruption" (again, irony!) charges. Both of them also just happen to be part of a rival political faction within the CCP that Xi is going after in order to further cement his own grip on power, as well as those of his closest associates. It's basically enabling his own faction to continue the mass repression and horrific crimes against the Chinese people whilst putting on a smile and pretending to be a "reformist".

Kim Jong Eun gets an honorable mention as well - though to be honest I haven't read particularly much of his own theory to really comment on him as an individual apart from the Korean Workers' Party, which is probably the most ideologically-advanced party, in terms of composite membership in the world.

Not that difficult when you can just have people executed for sneezing at you. Then again, I do wonder how many people genuine believe the diatribes the government puts out to its own people and how many are just faking allegiances because they don't want to be executed and their families thrown into the many labor camps that dot North Korea's beautiful barren countryside.

I live in China, I'm dating the daughter of a CCP Member who is on the Commission for Discipline Inspection overseeing a rural county of the province I lived in (where there's historically been a LOT of corruption).

That means you basically have as much knowledge as the rest of the Chinese people and expats living there. Three fifths of fuck all I'd imagine. Not that many Chinese would particularly care about what the CCP is up to these days. It's probably all the same shit to them.

I've had discussions with him about his work, even sat in on a few meetings because I was interested. I don't know how much "closer" I could possibly look.

Or want to. See, if I was someone as ideologically jaded as you are, and basically idolized anything and everything with the word "socialism" written on it, I'd be quite content with not knowing the kinds of horrific crimes the Chinese government has been committing against its own people.

After all, what you don't know can't hurt you, right?

The general vibe I get is that while opportunism/corruption had rather festered for the past few decades, Xi is taking a VERY hard line stance against it.

Or he's simply bringing the full weight of the law against people he dislikes all the while earning brownie points for being a "reformer". Remember, the law in China only applies to those who fail at associating with the right people. In this case, both Bo and Zhou hopped on the bandwagons with the wrong crown and are paying the consequences.

Let's be honest. There really isn't anyone in the upper echelons of the CCP that doesn't directly or indirectly have blood on their hands.

I'm not an idealist

Could have fooled me.

so I don't suspect Xi or anyone else will meet some textbook-perfect, arbitrary pie in the sky definition of "true socialism (TM)". But he's damn sure working in that direction, and he gets props from me for that.

Well, working towards true socialism would mean abandoning the economic system that brought millions of Chinese people prosperity and a better quality of life. Not to mention it would ruin him and his associates financially. Because where else are they going to get all their billions from if not through kickbacks, bribes and money laundering?

[Appalatchia]

To speak about someone who hasn't been mentioned yet: Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, President of Argentina. A consummate badass who has stood up to Argentina's entranced bureaucracy and a reformer responsible for prosecuting those who violated human rights during the military dictatorship.