-- PIOTR ZAREMBA ON HOW THE SOCIAL RIGHT'S "PEASANT-MANIA" IS MORE EFFECTIVE THAN THE ELITES' SENSE OF SUPERIORITY - writes in RZ: "Liberal politicians and celebrities are learning to bite their tongues before ridiculing 'Januszs' and 'Grazynas' who vote for PiS. But they still betray their sense of superiority, and the social right's peasant-mania remains politically more effective." -- "IN HIS PASSION TO BE A POCKET MACHIAVELLI, LIS HAS LONG FORGOTTEN TO AVOID RIDICULE," ZAREMBA CONTINUES: "Interestingly, beyond the routine responses of right-wing supporters, a phenomenon of resistance to such behavior emerged on the opposition side. Let's skip Tomasz Lis's tweet, who in his passion to be a pocket Machiavelli has long forgotten to avoid ridicule. Just five minutes after the defeat, he called for respecting PiS voters, even for respecting traditional values – although the line of his 'Newsweek,' and especially his own statements, were a glaring contradiction of both until the last moment. However, more serious voices emerged." -- "THE ELITES HAVE BECOME ASSOCIATED WITH THE OPPOSITION IN SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS; THEIR DISMISSAL COUNTS AGAINST THE POLITICIANS THEY WISH VICTORY FOR," ZAREMBA FURTHER IN RZ: "The elites insist they have the right to say what they want. They don't realize that they have become so strongly associated with opposition parties in social consciousness that their disregard for voters mechanically counts against the politicians they wish victory for. Even the dismissive treatment of Szydło can easily be perceived as a sign of superiority. Her electorate also doesn't know languages, isn't sure about the chicness of their outfits, but they go to church and expect only mockery from the know-it-all celebrities." -- "THEY DID NOT CONSIDER JANDA'S 'CAPRICE' AS SOMETHING DANGEROUS," ZAREMBA ADDS: "And finally, the 21-point declaration of opposition circles gathered in Gdańsk was read by none other than Krystyna Janda. Among the organizers of the June 4th rally were many politicians and local government officials, people interested in a real game with reality. As it turns out, even they did not consider the actress's 'caprice' as something dangerous. One could say that it's not a revolution, but tribal polarization is partly eating its own children." -- ZAREMBA ON BIDDING FAREWELL TO CLASSISM: "Such statements occurred, though less frequently and usually in a milder form, even before 2015. They were part of the clash between the right and the liberal left, further vulgarized by increasingly tabloid forms of debate. However, with the mass social programs, another phenomenon emerged, termed 'classism' by right-wing, but sometimes also by left-wing commentators not associated with the opposition. Krzysztof Wołodźko, a socialist writing for 'Gazeta Polska,' considers this attitude, rather than an ideology, a form of racism." https://www.rp.pl/Plus-Minus/306139936-Pozegnanie-z-klasizmem.html -- "A WIZARD ON A SIDELINE" - JĘDRZEJ BIELECKI IN RZ ON TUSK'S TERM: "Less than six months remain until the end of Donald Tusk's second term in Brussels. For now, everything indicates that the assessments of the European Council President's work will be bitter." -- "IT'S AS IF MACRON RESIGNED IN FAVOR OF BRUSSELS," BIELECKI FURTHER ON TUSK: "This is an even more problematic choice because it was made before the presidential and parliamentary elections, at a moment that – as is now starkly evident – turned out to be crucial for the country's development direction. It's as if Emmanuel Macron were to resign from the Élysée Palace or Angela Merkel from the federal chancellery right now in favor of an office on Brussels' Rue de la Loi." https://www.rp.pl/Plus-Minus/306139941-Najwiekszy-blad-Donalda-Tuska.html -- "PIS IS DRIVING A FERRARI, THE OPPOSITION IS WONDERING WHETHER TO GET INTO A SKODA OR AN OPEL," KAMIL DZIUBKA IN ONE: "It seems that with 16 weeks left until the parliamentary elections, the Law and Justice party is entering a three-lane highway to victory. They are driving a Ferrari, while their competitors are still wondering whether to get into an Opel or, for example, a Skoda (with great respect for the designers of both brands). But if I were in the ruling party's politicians' shoes, I would be thinking intensely today about that poor nun. Or perhaps someone accidentally painted the lanes on this highway?" https://wiadomosci.onet.pl/tylko-w-onecie/newsletter-onetu-kamil-dziubka-zakonnica-w-ciazy-wychodzi-na-pasy/9dbph1k -- "MORE CHEŁM, LESS Sopot," MARCIN FIJOŁEK: "Local government has its important and good place in the state system; we can discuss on a concrete level and in calm discussions about how to improve its functioning point-by-point, how to talk about the development of large cities and metropolises without giving up on reversing the polarization-diffusion trend, and how to effectively cooperate on challenges like organizing elections or the work of schools. Many of these issues pertain to a very pragmatic level, where party affiliations have no significance, or are secondary, tertiary. But this cooperation thrives on silence and backroom discussions, not political rallies and simplifying slogan-charms that are meant to be a remedy for all problems (and ideally, a reset at the government level in one go). More discussion at the Chełm level, fewer campaign ambitions from the Sopot level – this is a simple and necessarily simplified, but likely effective, guideline for choosing the right direction." https://wpolityce.pl/m/polityka/450937-wiecej-chelma-mniej-sopotu-o-samorzadach-w-kampanii -- MICHAŁ KARNOWSKI POSTULATES INCREASING DEMOCRATIC CONTROL OVER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS: "All who have Poland's fate at heart must consider this, we must think about how to defend the unity of the Polish state in the face of threats to its unity, we must find a way to defend our compatriots subjected to unlawful ideological pressure in their place of residence. We have reached a very dangerous point; certain changes in the shape of local government Poland are necessary. The goals are clear: strengthening the state's unity and increasing legal and democratic control over local centers of power." https://wpolityce.pl/m/polityka/451034-lokalni-bonzowie-niszcza-zaufanie-do-samorzadu-w-polsce -- "THE TERM POPULISM IS USED RECKLESSLY," PROF. ANDRZEJ SZAHAJ IN RZ: "The thesis of my text is as follows: the concept of populism explains very little, and what's more, it tends to obscure the current situation rather than clarify it. It is usually used thoughtlessly and serves as a master key that is supposed to fit all contemporary dilemmas. Declining it in all possible ways merely creates the illusion of some explanation, effectively acting as a battle cry for those who dislike the change in the political balance of power. It is meant to mobilize action against those who seem to be winning today, rather than helping to understand where we find ourselves and the reasons for this state of affairs. It serves to ward off the necessity of self-criticism, of understanding what mistakes contributed to the triumph of those called populists." http://archiwum.rp.pl/artykul/1405454-Wrazliwi-na-glos-ludu.html -- KRZYSZTOF MAZUR ON HOW VOTERS REMEMBERED 27:1 AND SZYDŁO DIFFERENTLY, AND ON DUKAJ'S BOOK AND POLITICS BEING IN THE POST-WRITING ERA: "And now the best part. If shared experiences are the most important thing today, then it doesn't have to be stated that they must concern something real. For politicians, this is paradise. Those who weave the best stories will win. Is it a problem for Beata Szydło's voters that Poland lost the vote in Brussels 27:1? No. Because her voters remember that event completely differently," says Mazur. "What is the future of politics in the post-writing era? Jacek Dukaj presents a suggestive vision in his book. Politicians fighting with bare fists in the center of the ring. Around them, a crowd of citizens who not only cheer on those in the ring, shouting their names, but also, from time to time, hit each other. Emotions pass, as Dukaj says, like 'fire through the savanna.' This will be the future of politics in the post-writing era," the political scientist concludes. https://klubjagiellonski.pl/2019/06/14/mazur-polityczna-walka-na-memy/ -- "TRUSTING TRUMP IS A DANGER," ANNE APPLEBAUM IN CONVERSATION WITH ŁUKASZ PAWŁOWSKI IN KULTURA LIBERALNA: "It is actually incredibly foolish. Of course, every Polish government would like to maintain good relations with the United States, and it's hard to blame this government for making such efforts. But at the same time, one cannot fail to see what a huge danger it is to trust this president. One cannot fail to understand that the slogan 'America First' means exactly what it says. Moreover, one cannot fail to notice how inept this administration is in foreign policy." https://kulturaliberalna.pl/2019/06/11/applebaum-wywiad-fort-trump-polska/ -- "FOR THE PERCEPTION OF PRIVATIZATION, ELŻBIETA JAWOROWICZ'S DECEITFUL 'SPRAWA DLA REPORTERS' SEGMENTS WERE SIGNIFICANT," JANUSZ LEWANDOWSKI IN CONVERSATION WITH ELIZA OLCZYK IN RZ: "Sometimes a newly enriched upstart would enter a privatized plant and have no idea how to deal with the staff terrified by the changes, especially the women. That was the case with Wałbrzych Porcelain. But, for example, the privatization of Cellulose in Kwidzyn went so well that I gained honorary citizenship of the city and even have the privilege of free tram rides. For years, I've been urging Mayor Andrzej Krzysztofiak to launch at least one tram line (laughter). But for the perception of privatization, Elżbieta Jaworowicz's deceitful 'Sprawa dla reportera' segments were more significant." -- LEWANDOWSKI ON OLCZYK'S QUESTION WHETHER KULCZYK WAS AN OLIGARCH: "No. He used privatization and made it a springboard for further economic ventures, but above all, he was a business talent of world caliber. Towards the end of his life, he wanted to pass on his knowledge and business ideas to Poland." -- "THE WAYS OF RESCUING FROM CRISIS CAUSED FRUSTRATION AMONG THE YOUNG GENERATION," LEWANDOWSKI CONTINUES: "An avalanche is an exaggeration! It was the result of a deep crisis in Europe, which we as a country went through unscathed. Entrepreneurs were not firing people, but looking for ways to reduce labor costs. Unfortunately, this caused frustration among the young generation, which was politically costly, hence the project of civilizing the labor market, overshadowed by the promise of simple money distribution." https://www.rp.pl/Plus-Minus/306139961-Janusz-Lewandowski-Walesa-najbardziej-ufal-Bieleckiemu.html -- JAROSŁAW KUISZ ON CHERNOBYL AND SMOLENSK: "Here, 'terror from the East' replaces the place of learning. At one point, a character dramatically announces that Chernobyl means 'black wormwood.' Then silence falls. According to the screenwriters, this means 'everything' has been understood. Unfortunately! It's hard to say what this sentence was supposed to explain to the television theater audience. The authors probably indulged their conviction that Evil lurks in the East from the moment people chose the name of the town. And after centuries, in 1986, this Evil had to – (necessarily?) – (in connection with the name?) – (there, not elsewhere?) happen. This is 'metaphysics' for a pittance. Nevertheless, it is immediately clear what strings of Polish sensitivity will be struck later by such works about tragic catastrophes, like, primarily, the feature film 'Smoleńsk.' Secrets, conspiracies, who knows what… And no rational conclusions for the future, since for the filmmakers, a scene where those who died in 2010 meet in the afterlife with the victims of the Katyń tragedy was enough for the finale." https://kulturaliberalna.pl/2019/06/14/kuisz-czarnobyl-smolensk-kataklizm/ -- POLITICO ON SPAIN'S ATTEMPT TO RETURN TO THE CENTER OF THE EU: "Madrid’s assets are evident. The Spanish economy has stabilized. Politically, Spain is the largest country with a pro-EU government, after Germany and France. Sánchez also controls the largest delegation in the Socialist group in the European Parliament, and he is one of six leaders charged with negotiating how to fill the EU’s top positions." https://www.politico.eu/article/spain-big-moment-eu-influence-pedro-sanchez/ -- "GERMAN BILLIONAIRES SHUN THE MEDIA SPOTLIGHT" - THE ECONOMIST: "If they think their ranking on rich lists is too low, American tycoons fume. German ones kick up a fuss when theirs looks suspiciously high, explains Heinz Dürr. When a magazine called him a billionaire a few years ago, Mr Dürr rang the editor to remonstrate. The reporters had double-counted his ownership of Homag, a maker of wood-processing machines that Dürr, his family’s mechanical-engineering firm, bought in 2014. Plutocrats have reached the top of politics in America and Italy, while in Asia the super-rich often display their wealth in ostentatious style. Germany’s magnates love to shun the limelight." https://www.economist.com/business/2019/06/15/germanys-business-barons-are-finding-it-harder-to-keep-a-low-profile -- BIRTHDAYS: Piotr Duda, Marek Kacprzak SUNDAY: Witold Gadomski, Marian Piłka.