Who would you like to see govern in the White House?

[grahamc]

Presumably because he's the only person in the Republican Party that's shown any real leadership on environmental issues?

 

Funnily enough, yes. He is the only one that says something and then actually does it, with no excuses, no worries, just does it. That and if you disagree, he will just beat you into submission

[Thorin]

Obama. I hope he does win, it'll drive out all the racists and bigots into the open hopefully.

 

I can't see America being ready to put a black man in the white house though. I predict scandal and vote rigging accusations.

[JustGav]

I predict scandal and vote rigging accusations.

 

Standard election really then?

[SupraAyf]

McCain's wife is a bit of all-right though:)

[AndrewOW]

McCain's wife is a bit of all-right though:)

 

You've got to back that statement up with a pic or two, at least

 

So the Republican's have resorted to using 'hot' babes for their election campaign? I don't know, the depth's people will go to get their way.

 

Gets my vote!*

 

 

Once upon a time, I suppose.

 

*Except I would still vote for Obama. Not that it matters, as I don't qualify for voting in the US elections anyway!

[Tannhauser]

If Arnie supports John Mcain i sure as hell won't argue!!!:)

 

Hasta la vista Obama:eyebrows:

 

MxSW9nK3kI8

 

"De greatest baddybuilding contest in de vorld"

 

Arnie pushes every single middle-American button in one speech. Scarily like a Christmas panto.

 

He says that if he had stayed in Europe, he wouldn't have achieved 10% of what he has - including politically. Which is true, because, rightly or wrongly, no European country would have taken him seriously as a politician. Only in America are cowboy actors, wrestlers (Jesse Ventura) and ex-bodybuilders assured of political success.

[Carl_S]

That is a bit scary, mind you I found the last lib dem conference a bit scary too. I do wonder about how being tested "in isolation" and being tortured in POW has got to do with capacity to lead that country. I like the bit where he says "Europe has come to realise it's mistakes with it's spread the wealth policies".

 

I am jealous though of schwarzeneggers public speaking ability though. Wow, his focus and determination. Obama seems life like and approachable, whereas arnie, mc cain, and palin scare the hell out of me. I don't know anything about the two parties policies, and I am basing my vote purely on how they come across on TV.

[Jake]

[Guigsy]

Ive been in the usa for the past 3 months. not realy following things very closely but the ammount of "insults" everyone flings at eachother is insane. It actualy gets brutal and ive sat here several times and a political advert has come on and when its finished ive sat there. turned to my girlfriend and said "did i just hear that right?" Then thaught over what they said and gone "what a load of bulshit" and thats for both sides of the argument. They stopped short of saying the other guy will eat your children, but only just.

 

The elections over here are a lot different to ours. Ive only voted once. the other time i didnt want to. Last time i did i had a choice of 4 people. The americans vote for president of which where im staying there is about 6-7 people to vote for. They can also vote for Sherif (adverts for these guys on tv also), They also vote for congresmen, something called "defender of the people" or something like that which is to do with the courts.

Then ontop of that they get a say in various things like (depending in state) if gay people should be allowed to marry, some local taxes, and about 5 or 6 other things that dictate if they can be forced to put wind turbines on there land or make huricane protection mandatory etc.

[Guigsy]

edit - just found this. lol http://lolatmccain.com/

[Carl_S]

Interesting Guigsy. We did get that a bit over here too. I remeber the devil red eyes that the conservatives used in their campaign against labour, to scare people to not vote labour becuause they would be letting the devil in.

 

Time square seems to be extra packed out today, just saw it on the webcam.

 

Yeah I hear about Americans having so many choices,like who they want to be president, etc. For me that shows true democracy in action, and it's something to be proud of.

 

As for gay marriages, my predjudices say no, but for justice I think its a good idea.

[Carl_S]

that link cussing palin is sick man, below the belt.

[AndrewOW]

My goodness, America did the right thing, for a change. Well done Mr Obama!

[garethr]

I heard the news in the car this morning, and I was just thinking that it was a shame that the likes of Martin Luther King, Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke (and so many others who are not so well known) were not around to see it, when the new President quoted A Change Is Gonna Come in his victory speech.

 

I can't imagine how the surviving veterans of the civil rights battle are feeling today.

[AndrewOW]

Quite chuffed, I'd thought

[Gaz Walker]

Well done Obama

[imi]

Indeed - glad that Mc(less)Brain didnt get in.

 

Found this video of his quite interesting

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvbGYGtOMew

 

fairly clear what he means by PROGRESS ON IRAN ..

[Tannhauser]

I'm on an American weightlifting site called Ironaddicts.com. Man, I think this BBS is right-wing until I visit theirs. They are crying into their beer at the moment.

 

Here's a sample:

 

I'm f-n wide awake at 3AM over this election sh*t. I really feel no hope what so ever for the future of this country. Not sure I've ever been so pessimistic, & that emotion has kinda caught me off guard, as I thought I had already given up on us. I guess I still had a little hope somewhere inside me, but no more.

 

Probably wouldn't have been as bad a feeling had McCain won, as he is at least not the obvious socialist that Obama is. He's a little more discrete with it.

 

Sometimes I wish I could just get in line with the sheep, at least I would be sound asleep right now.

 

I'm not making much sense right now so I'm just gonna go lay in bed & look at the ceiling.

 

God help us.

 

and:

 

What I found on his own damned website was straight out of the Socialist handbook. What I have seen from the left is straight out of the Marxist handbook. He is a socialist unlike none that we have ever seen & he has a cult-like (Hitler anyone?) following.

 

It's not common to be accused of supporting Marx and having things in common with Hitler in two consecutive sentences .

[Thorin]

It's not common to be accused of supporting Marx and having things in common with Hitler in two consecutive sentences .

 

 

I remember seeing some clip a while ago of someone asking a bunch of American's reasons why there were not going to vote for Obama.

 

Reason's ranged from, "he kills babies", to "he doesn't like the white folk", to my favourite "Obama sounds like Osama to me".

 

Americans eh?

[tbourner]

I wish I understooded politics a bit mores. What's the difference between left and right?

[AndrewOW]

I wish I understooded politics a bit mores. What's the difference between left and right?

 

 

Normally good handwriting, or bad handwriting, really. HTH

[Tannhauser]

I wish I understooded politics a bit mores. What's the difference between left and right?

 

How long have you got?

 

OK, left wing = traditionally, Labour in this country. The Democrats are kind of the equivalent in the USA (but see below). Left wing thinking tends towards a more socialistic world view. It emphasises individuals' responsibilities as part of a community. The left says that the state has to take more control of the economy, because otherwise wealth is distributed unfairly. Tends to favour equal entitlement and opportunity for all. Tend to favour higher taxation in order to produce high quality public services. The NHS is an example of left wing thinking.

 

In its extreme form, it's associated with Marxism and/or Communism.

 

Right Wing = traditionally Conservative and, in the USA, republicans. Emphasises the individual's rights to self-determination (e.g. "There is no such thing as society" - Margaret Thatcher). Operates a laissez-faire policy towards economics - in other words, says the state should interfere as little as possible in the operation of businesses and the markets. Believes that it is right and proper that some are richer than others, promotes the view that the wealthy are wealthy because they are talented and/or hard-working. Believes that wealth distributes itself fairly without any intervention (e.g. taxing the rich more). Keeps taxation to a minimum and promotes the view that we should pay for our own services.

 

'Right wing' is associated with 'conservative' in the sense of "resisting change, cautious in tastes" - hence right-wing people tend to worry a lot about johnny foreigner coming over here. In it's extreme form, it's associated with Nazism.

 

Left and right wing are relative terms in different countries. France is traditionally much more left wing than us. French workers have had more power and have protected their rights fiercely. So you could say the enviable quality of life in France e.g.the 35 hour week is the upside to left wing thinking. Traditionally, America is much more right wing than us. So their idea of a 'liberal' aka democrat might not seem very left wing at all to us.

 

***The above is not to be taken as gospel - it's just my take on it - and is a bit of a caricature given the complexity of the issues

[Tannhauser]

Also, the interesting thing is how religion fits into all this in the USA.

 

Christianity is a very socialist set of ideals. Distribution of wealth, helping your poorest brethren, 'easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven' and all that.

 

However, the 'Bible belt' in the USA tends to be very right wing ("greed is good", you earned every cent of your money - why would you give it away?) and yet very big on Jesus.

 

I'm not an expert on Christianity, but it seems to me that they have had to totally re-interpret Jesus' teachings to fit in with Republican philosophy.

[imi]

but it seems to me that they have had to totally re-interpret Jesus' teachings to fit in with Republican philosophy.

 

Christianity is just an excuse, an excuse for them to massage their egos.

[Lbm]

How long have you got?

 

OK, left wing = traditionally, Labour in this country. The Democrats are kind of the equivalent in the USA (but see below). Left wing thinking tends towards a more socialistic world view. It emphasises individuals' responsibilities as part of a community. The left says that the state has to take more control of the economy, because otherwise wealth is distributed unfairly. Tends to favour equal entitlement and opportunity for all. Tend to favour higher taxation in order to produce high quality public services. The NHS is an example of left wing thinking.

 

In its extreme form, it's associated with Marxism and/or Communism.

 

Right Wing = traditionally Conservative and, in the USA, republicans. Emphasises the individual's rights to self-determination (e.g. "There is no such thing as society" - Margaret Thatcher). Operates a laissez-faire policy towards economics - in other words, says the state should interfere as little as possible in the operation of businesses and the markets. Believes that it is right and proper that some are richer than others, promotes the view that the wealthy are wealthy because they are talented and/or hard-working. Believes that wealth distributes itself fairly without any intervention (e.g. taxing the rich more). Keeps taxation to a minimum and promotes the view that we should pay for our own services.

 

'Right wing' is associated with 'conservative' in the sense of "resisting change, cautious in tastes" - hence right-wing people tend to worry a lot about johnny foreigner coming over here. In it's extreme form, it's associated with Nazism.

 

Left and right wing are relative terms in different countries. France is traditionally much more left wing than us. French workers have had more power and have protected their rights fiercely. So you could say the enviable quality of life in France e.g.the 35 hour week is the upside to left wing thinking. Traditionally, America is much more right wing than us. So their idea of a 'liberal' aka democrat might not seem very left wing at all to us.

 

***The above is not to be taken as gospel - it's just my take on it - and is a bit of a caricature given the complexity of the issues

Nice and succint.

Like the new sig btw.