1. Life writes better plots for the stories it creates than do the authors of spy novels. This is not accidental. When the outlines of stories are mapped out, their authors proceed from the reality they know. All the twists of the tale to be told originate from that condition. This remains the case even if intentionally the unlikely is being depicted. Actual events have the ability to create new and unanticipable conditions. This is why even knowledgeable predictions are likely to be no better than the forecast of next summer’s weather.

The matter has a reverse side, too. Some fantasies, meant to be exaggerations have become, as in the case of Orwell’s novels, reality without the intent to plagiarize. Having written a self-biography that apparently no agent wishes to read has taught the writer a further aspect of the interplay between reality, fantasy and credibility.

Wisely, some contemporaries tell only sanitized versions of their life stories. The truth is self censured because, if told, the reporter will be accused of hallucinating. It is better to communicate ten percent of the whole than to be rejected a hundred percent.

At times, even when writing this column, self-censorship sneaks into the picture. Occasionally, once the stuff leaves ”the shop”, doubts remain about how seriously it will be taken. Indeed, many real life occurences appear to come from a script of the absurd. That appearance prevents the average person to consider the implications and to act accordingly. The inference is that, the more absurd a future hazard appears to be, the less seriously will it be taken. The upshot is an inability to mount defenses and to counter the peril.

The acknowledged threats of our days have been signaled well before the ailment surfaced. A number of problems that are forecast, such as a nuclear Iran, fail to agitate future victims. Some incredulous Jewish communities paid dearly for that because the advertised scenario and the tales told about modern hell appeared to be too outlandish. Due to scepticism, the challenge is dealt with by writing off the warners as alarmist that are predisposed to make out of a mouse an elephant.

2. An interesting “case” is unfolding in Europe and in America. The occurrence has already received emphasis in this column. Increasingly, the class that used to determine the arena within which public affairs were played out is losing its influence. The people that used to establish what is right and wrong, are the ones that drew the boundaries of the political pale while they could disqualify candidates and parties. Furthermore, they were the ones that had the power to decide what news was and how events were to be judged. For some time now, the trend indicates that their abused followers are deserting this political class. The more you look, the more you discover that the insolent public is becoming disobedient. Election results express a changing public culture and thus they confirm the pretention.

An indicator of the foregoing is an event that has, due to its venue, received much international attention. The USA’s mid-terms had a politically incorrect result. Departing from usual electoral reverses, Obama, an icon of official values, has been cut down to size. We should put the emphasis on who scored with the recapture of the House and the new balance in the Senate. In this case, the credit does not go to an establishmentarian opposition which would be in this case the RHINO branch of the Republicans. Regardless of whether one harbors, as does the writer, some reservations regarding Ms Palin, she and the Tea Parties deserve to be called deservedly successful.

Throughout Europe, parties are gaining ground that take up taboo issues. These matters are generally thought to be pressing but the traditional parties, which play according to the “rules” they made, ignore them. This happens for the reason that the problem is not supposed to exist because their logical solution contradicts the accepted MO. Wilders’ newest court appearance is a symptom of the anger this causes.

Switzerland’s unique system of direct democracy -it provides for direct legislation by the people – has produced two decisions opposed by everybody with a “name”. Naturally, the undesired result caused the defied and insulted international “liberal network” to throw a tantrum. A third decision is now pending. The voters will have to decide on what in its American translation would be a referendum on the Second Amendment (the right to keep and bear arms).  No wonder that the EU is increasing pressure to make the Swiss join it or at least to jettison direct democracy by agreeing to implement all EU-made laws.

It would appear that a test case is evolving that pits the forces that rule with the truncheon of PC and those who ignore threatened excommunication. The venue, if the signs are read correctly, is Hungary. In that country something “terrible” and trend setting, which is absolutely “verboten” is happening. A year ago, the Socialists and their liberal fig-leaf ally have suffered an election wipeout. The liberals are not in parliament and the Socialists got about as many votes as the “wrong right”. Newly, the right-of-center Fidesz has more than a 2/3 majority. This is an unusual result in a free election. (The Party of the Soviet era used to get at least 98 %.)

“Unusual”, yes, “unexplainable”, no. The last genuine Socialists PM has admitted in a secret speech “we have f…d up.” He also acknowledged, “We have lied” around the clock to steal the election. By last year the debt, the corruption and the lies have created a wreck that not even the most gullible and uneducated voter could ignore. The result: “eviction” by the means of an election.

Facing a leftist and a rightist opposition, Hungary’s government is committed to reconstruct the country as an economically progressive democratic society. Its supporters wish to introduce a system that relies on the lessons of western civilization. This, even if Europe, as a wise man there noted, does “not dare to stand up for it.” In the words of Mr. Pozsgay, the EU “is more comparable to a caravanserai than to a genuine community”. For that reason, one needs “to accept that Europe might not greet our efforts with sympathy.” In general, from Budapest one hears iconoclastic noises. Such is the following and characteristic “Orbànism”. He dared to state publicly “not everybody that is unemployed is without a job because he could not find work”. The consequences of the above make Hungary into a test case that transcends that country’s own significance.

Developments in Hungary deserve to be followed with attention. At this stage, the country has introduced simplified and lowered taxes. (16 % for all.) The deficit is reduced to under 4% -compare that to your country’s- and next year the red ink will be below 3%. To arrest the country’s slide into the pit where Greece, Ireland, Spain, Portugal are cowering, the Orbàn government accepted the IMF’s goals. Then it sent the Fund’s peeved delegation home. That was because the Fund wanted to prescribe the measures to be taken to meet the guidelines. Newly, the stated goal is to find market financing. This might be suicide. However, the Forint (HUF) is gaining against the € and the $ while the stock market is way up.

Meanwhile, the past’s corrupt dealings are subjected to scrutiny. In an interesting case, it has come to light that establishmentarian intellectuals got funds for studies on EU integration and Hungary’s competitiveness.  A number of old papers were turned in and paid for. A fun example is one on “philosophy and science” in “ancient history”. It was predictable that there will be an international outcry over the “witch hunt”.

The trans-national network of the referees of propriety is focusing its main attack on the issue of a media-law. (Frequencies, advertising, improper content, public affairs coverage). Earlier, this column has already dealt with the matter. The initial complaints came from people that have not read the legislation. No problem in this case. The outraged had friends abroad and these, as well as their local “experts”, cannot forgive the Fidesz for winning an election and for taking power from the comrades. Thanks to the local losers’ good international connections, the compliant EU took up the issue. The pressure regarding “censorship” from that corner is abating now that Brussels has the text. Nevertheless, “something” must be done short of unmasking the censure’s initiators. As things stand, Budapest is flexible. It promises to change details in its own law that are not part of the media law of other EU members. To save face, a few details will be cosmetically altered and then “Europe” will let the case fade.          

However, count on it that Brussels will soon open a “second front”. Hungary is proceeding against the comradely practitioners of corrupt dealings. As in the opening case of the “philosophers” enjoying sinecures, the charge is predictable. The thieves were part of the socialist network and their ability to stuff their pockets depended on their privileged contacts. Once corruption is acted upon in the courts, someone will sound the alarm about “persecution”. As the accused will be the creative entrepreneurs of the Left, the charge will be that the reds are being persecuted. Given the fact that a right-of-center government will initiate the action, the claim will be that neo-Nazis are conducting a crusade against progressives. It is an ailment of our public culture that many will, regardless of the inconvenient facts, prefer to believe the accusation.