Ever since the new Swedish budget was presented, there have been various discussions concerning the real motive behind the 2006-2010 government. We 
all remember the eyecatching - and, many would say, provocative - ”Sweden’s New Working Class Party” advertisements before the election, surprising many of the voters as the Moderate Party in Sweden has traditionally been synonymous with right-wing conservatism and hardcore capitalism.
all remember the eyecatching - and, many would say, provocative - ”Sweden’s New Working Class Party” advertisements before the election, surprising many of the voters as the Moderate Party in Sweden has traditionally been synonymous with right-wing conservatism and hardcore capitalism. Prior to the election, the Moderate Party’s battle cry was ”more jobs and less taxes for the working class.” Thus, many were confused when the aforementioned budget clearly indicated something very different.
Were we all subjects to a scam of enormous proportions?
We decided to meet up with the man behind the myth to sort out fact from fiction over some cups of organically grown and fair-trade labeled coffee.
Hi there Anders, how’s life at the moment?
Super, thanks. The budget’s all done now, you know, so I expect things to work out quite peachy for me and the crew come these next three and a half years. Sweet times indeed.
Your work is already done then?
Well, most of it anyway. Basically, there’s more time to surf the web from the office now. I like learning about stuff from Wikipedia for instance. So it’s more like education, really. And I also do a lot of e-mailing.
Speaking about the budget, you have received critique for...
(Interrupts by clearing his throat uncomfortably loud) Let’s be honest here: people seemed to be enjoying being without jobs before we took over. Now they can continue as they were. That’s what you’re on about, isn’t it, the unemployment rates?
Among other things, yes. You’re cutting down on compensation in this sector, from 80% to 65%.
Well, first off, this was supposed to work as an incentive for those currently applying for jobs. Hungry wolves make the best hunters, you catch me? Naturally, being quite the clever guy I am, I pretty soon realised a couple of things. First, this isn’t really a good method to create new jobs, I mean that’s all bullcrap. You don’t really create anything but more reasons to commit suicide by just targeting those unemployed. Anyone would get that if they only stopped and thought about it for a second. (Laughing) Hilarious, really, so many people fell for that one.
And the other thing?
Secondly, we don’t really want the rates to go below 6% anyhoo. That’d be bad for inflation and would give us less space for fast movement on the international sea of business and stockmarket.
So what about all that money saved from cutting the compensation?
(More laughing) Well, I’m not putting it into the schools, know what I’m saying?
So basically, creating new jobs weren’t part of your agenda?
Of course not, that is pretty much impossible given our current circumstances. What the hell do people want me to do? They can’t all work as baristas in coffee shops. There are too many make-believe jobs as there are, we don’t 
need more of that crap. This is your wake-up call Sweden, the industries are all in China now, because you guys demanded increased salaries and the right to organize in unions. You know, decreasing taxation on employment of people to do household services - maids, babysitters, cleaners and butlers, those kind of people - actually started out as an internal joke in a sauna at a conference when we were all really drunk. Then it leaked to the press and I thought: ”Hey, let’s do it!” That kind of set off this whole agenda we’re doing right now, our post-millenium angle on things. A bit more Paris Hilton, right?
”This is your wake-up call Sweden, the industries are all in China now, because you guys demanded increased salaries and the right to organize in unions.”
So you don’t think people will find it strange that you’ve focused so much on lowering the taxes for those employing household service personell? Aren’t there more acute areas to deal with? How does this benefit the greater common good?
It’s great for a lot of folks I know. For example, we were going out with the yacht the other day but those damned seagulls had befouled the entire upper deck. ”Hey man, I’m not going to clean that up” I said, but Fred told me he had this cheap Polish woman in mind who does his and Filippa’s laundry, so we phoned her up. It took her about two hours to get there from where she lived, and by
then we were quite wasted on Cosmopolitans and it had started raining anyway, so we left her there scrubbing the deck after making sure we left no valuables around. She did a marvelous job by the way, wonderful hard-working people those Poles, but I wouldn’t have wanted to pay her by the old tax rate as it took her like two hours to get there, know what I mean?
then we were quite wasted on Cosmopolitans and it had started raining anyway, so we left her there scrubbing the deck after making sure we left no valuables around. She did a marvelous job by the way, wonderful hard-working people those Poles, but I wouldn’t have wanted to pay her by the old tax rate as it took her like two hours to get there, know what I mean?So you didn’t pay her ’under the table’ then?
Look, it’s not really my fault that our traditional politics aren’t all too compatible with the ways of the under and middle classes. They should have thought 
about that before they A) chose to be poor by deciding to pursue second-rate careers, and B) voted for us. People really aren’t too bright, you know what I’m saying? There’s also all that crap about who gets what, I know. Look, we made a lot - and I mean A LOT - of promises pre-election day. That’s expected. Everyone does that, it’s part of the game, you know? But I mean hey, the first couple of days in office we found like 500 billion bucks all stuffed away in some boring place by the former government, and I immediately thought, maaaan, let’s get this out to the PEOPLE, you know?
about that before they A) chose to be poor by deciding to pursue second-rate careers, and B) voted for us. People really aren’t too bright, you know what I’m saying? There’s also all that crap about who gets what, I know. Look, we made a lot - and I mean A LOT - of promises pre-election day. That’s expected. Everyone does that, it’s part of the game, you know? But I mean hey, the first couple of days in office we found like 500 billion bucks all stuffed away in some boring place by the former government, and I immediately thought, maaaan, let’s get this out to the PEOPLE, you know?Boring place? You mean it was earmarked for public services?
Yeah, hospitals, kindergartens, old folks’ homes and so on, places that don’t generate any money but just, like you know, kinda sucks.
So you don’t agree that public services work in the interest of the people?
For crying out loud, it increases the taxes! My taxes! No one wants to pay taxes. I think it’s up to everyone to decide whether they want to have full medical
coverage or a spanking new trendy wardrobe when all the beach parties hit us this summer. And I think it’s pretty damn clear what people prefer when you start counting votes. I don’t wanna pay hundreds of thousands a year so that some old crone can get her hips fixed if she falls down the stairs. Old people freak me out!
coverage or a spanking new trendy wardrobe when all the beach parties hit us this summer. And I think it’s pretty damn clear what people prefer when you start counting votes. I don’t wanna pay hundreds of thousands a year so that some old crone can get her hips fixed if she falls down the stairs. Old people freak me out!Erm, ok, but doesn’t the elderly belong to the ’people’ too?
Well, me being neoliberal and open-minded and all, my definition of the PEOPLE is those who actually benefit to society, not those who burden it. Those without jobs and homes for example, these are the pariah, the unwanted leeches. They should be shipped someplace far away from the rest of us. I mean, come on, how hard is it to get a job, a place to crash and to take showers every now and again?
That almost came out a bit fascist.
Who’s to say what’s fascism and democracy in this tipsy turvy world? Come on man, we’re bigger than that. You have to have a sense of humor about these 
things, it’s a Darwinian age and it’s time people started getting with the program. Like when John McCain started singing ”Bomb Bomb Iran” during that town meeting in South Carolina - that totally made my day right then and there. The fact that he’s serious but some people still think he was joking just cracks me up all over. Brilliant stuff.
”Who’s to say what’s fascism and democracy in this tipsy turvy world? It’s a Darwinian age and it’s time people started getting with the program.”
But how do you expect people belonging to these lower classes to afford medical treatment if this isn’t subsidized by the government? You’re lowering the pensions as well, despite promises to go the opposite direction.
You’re not listening to me - I don’t expect them to afford anything. They just need to stay healthy. It’s basically the same deal as with the jobs - if you lower the compensation it works as an incentive.
Erm, an incentive to what?
To get jobs and stay healthy. Haven’t you been paying attention?
But you just said that was, and I quote, ”bullcrap.”
(In an exaggerated american voice) What, are you fucking kidding me? Am I funny to you? Do I look like a clown? Am I here to fucking amuse you?
Easy there...
(Laughing) I’m just pulling your leg dude, I love Robert De Niro.
Actually, that was probably supposed to be Joe Pesci...
Same same, different different. (Suddenly looks at his watch) Look, it’s been fun and all, but I really need to get going, I’m meeting up with some important hot-shots back at the club.
Well then, thank you for being very frank all throughout this interview.
Hey, no sweat pal. My press secretary person keeps telling me to avoid these things the day after karaoke night, but this went just swell I reckon. Call me sometime, ok? We’ll have brunch. And by the way, I really love your band name! Rock on dudes!
(2007-04-24)