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One little girl who's had enough of the American elections...


Loiseau

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I have been watching CNN and Fox news a lot over the last week.

Fox advertises that they are fair and balanced. Well, they all frighten me on Fox news, not only are they very biased, but I have never seen them being in any way fair. In fact they seem rabid, and make the Daily Mail look like it is a very liberal publication!

I'm not sick of it, in fact I am finding it fascinating and I do hope that Romney does not get in, I do not like him and do not trust him. Cannot say I am an Obama fan either, but as there is only a choice of two, then I prefer Obama.

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I think Obama getting in again will further weaken America, which in turn will weaken the world. If America isn't on top, then China or Russia, or even worse a Middle Eastern alliance could rise. I think you'll see a far worse world then. Obama has doubled the deficit, and will likely double it again in the next 4 years. Wake up people.

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[quote user="Mr Ceour de Lion II"]I think Obama getting in again will further weaken America, which in turn will weaken the world. If America isn't on top, then China or Russia, or even worse a Middle Eastern alliance could rise. I think you'll see a far worse world then. Obama has doubled the deficit, and will likely double it again in the next 4 years. Wake up people.

[/quote]

You know it's about time America realised that they do not rule or run the world........frankly I think that politicians tend to play on people's fears about this which are often hyped up......
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[quote user="You can call me Betty"]I'm not asleep. Nor am I American.

If I had to face the prospect, as a woman, of life under Romney, I think

I would probably top myself. He has a view of women 's rights that

makes the Dark Ages seem enlightened.[/quote]

You've obviously not heard anything about the democrats view of women either then.

[quote user="Russethouse"]You know it's about time America realised that they do not rule or run the world........frankly I think that politicians tend to play on people's fears about this which are often hyped up......[/quote]

Like I say, if it's not them, it'll be someone else. It always is.

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[quote user="Mr Ceour de Lion II"][quote user="You can call me Betty"]I'm not asleep. Nor am I American.

If I had to face the prospect, as a woman, of life under Romney, I think

I would probably top myself. He has a view of women 's rights that

makes the Dark Ages seem enlightened.[/quote]

You've obviously not heard anything about the democrats view of women either then.

[quote user="Russethouse"]You know it's about time America realised that they do not rule or run the world........frankly I think that politicians tend to play on people's fears about this which are often hyped up......[/quote]

Like I say, if it's not them, it'll be someone else. It always is.

[/quote]

These things are cyclical, maybe it's just someone else's moment and we all have to move on.....

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Decades ago, I studied comparative government at university. Of the governance of the USA I arrived at the following conclusions:

  • Each new American president arrives at the White House as a complete novice. There is no training for the job and no previous occupation or appointment which can give any useful experience for an incoming president.

  • The Constitution, of which Americans appear to be so proud, is specifically designed to preserve the status quo and prevent any change. It was designed for the 18th century and is useless in the 21st. It ensures that decision making is most effective at the lowest, local, level of government.

  • The Constitution seperates religion from government, but any politician - at any level - who does not make some religious commitment is unelectable.

  • The American president is effectively politically impotent - his only real power is that of declaring war.

  • That the USA is in a constant, unremitting state of electioneering.

Obama has some experience of the presidency, Romney has none. On this basis, I hope that Obama is returned.

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I wonder if anyone else heard The Public Philosopher programme which Michael Sandel did from Yale in the last few weeks. I was quite shocked that most of the young students assumed that the USA should lead the world and that they were always a force for good. Sandel didn't pull the up on it either.

As for the 'who owns my body ?' dispute, given all that has happened in the last few weeks in the UK, I think it's about time we started to consider how men could behave in a sexually more responsible manner. I don't mean to insult all the decent men on this forum, in my family and among my friends and colleagues, but I think it's something we should talk about before we start banning abortion.

Hoddy
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To

Clarkkent

So what hope do you have in 4 years time when neither candidate will have been president and no experience? I really don't think either person is a complete novice, do you? What training is there in the UK to be PM? In fact, you can say that for most jobs. You only really learn it when you do it. Romney was governor of Massachusetts I would say he has a lot of experience there that he could use in presidency.

I agree, there are certain aspects of the constitution that do need updating. I wouldn't say it's useless though.

I actually believe the most important level of government is local. To put it into context, what does the president know of the lives of someone living in a back water town of Arkansas for example? Local government is so dumbed down, but really should be made more important. Local government technically has more impact on people's every day lives than the main government. Don't forget also, each state is in effect its own country anyway, so people want more localised governing as it is more relevant.

Don't know about your comment about not being electable unless you make

some religious comment, although I would say there needs to be an

alternate pledge of allegiance for non christians such as myself to be able

to say. And it does annoy me that for a supposedly secular nation, religion is so prominent, so I probably agree with you on this point. In fact, I understand Obama tried to get 'in god we trust' off the dollar bills, which I also agree should be removed, but was shouted down.

Of course the president doesn't have much power, that's the whole point. That's why America split from the UK because it didn't want to be under control by one person.

So you only want Obama back in because he was president before? Not sure that's very good reasoning myself. I want Romney in to get the deficit back under control, and because I'd like a job next year.

I'm starting to see why they say never talk about politics or religion. Things can get very feisty very quickly.

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[quote user="Hoddy"]I wonder if anyone else heard The Public Philosopher programme which Michael Sandel did from Yale in the last few weeks. I was quite shocked that most of the young students assumed that the USA should lead the world and that they were always a force for good. Sandel didn't pull the up on it either.

As for the 'who owns my body ?' dispute, given all that has happened in the last few weeks in the UK, I think it's about time we started to consider how men could behave in a sexually more responsible manner. I don't mean to insult all the decent men on this forum, in my family and among my friends and colleagues, but I think it's something we should talk about before we start banning abortion.

Hoddy[/quote]

I think in comparison to any other emerging super powers, then the US is the best country for that job. Imagine the Chinese or Russians, or some sort of united Islamic federation from the Middle East being number 1. I think you would see far more problems. I'm not saying the US is perfect, because it isn't, nor is it the greatest nation on earth (there's no such thing), but there will always be some nation dominating the others. I'd rather it one that at least offers a little freedom.

As for abortion, I believe it's a personal choice and should not be taken away (see I don't always agree with republican stand points). Better education in family planning and the like should be more prominent. Prevention is better than cure.

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They're brought up to believe their country is the best in the world. In fairness, my dad did the same with me back in the UK. I think the difference is that I have traveled a lot, whereas many in the US don't have that same opportunity to see the rest of the world, which is understandable given the size of the US. You can travel one side to the other and be in the same country, whereas to do the same in England would take you well into Russia. My traveling told me that there is no such thing as the best country in the world, only differences.

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"They're brought up to believe their country is the best in the world. In fairness, my dad did the same with me back in the UK."

My dad did that too Richard. It's part of the reason that it bothers me. World news was not so readily available then. There really shouldn't be any excuse for not knowing a little about the rest of the world with the amount of media we have now.

My travels, not least to the USA and Russia when it was the old USSR, tell me the same which is why find the unquestioning attitude among what I took to be the brightest American students so worrying.

Hoddy

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I'm still watching CNN and Fox news reglarly and the Fox people still frighten me. Them backing anyone would put me off the person concerned.

I shall be watching much of the election, won't be able to help my self. I hope that we won't have anything like the 'Florida' debacle again.

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[quote user="ebaynut"]These things are cyclical, maybe it's just someone else's moment and we all have to move on.....

Just as well Churchill did not think like that.[/quote]

Different scenario and different time.....

Personally I'd like the UK to say that next time the USA go to war, they count on going alone. The way Blair followed Bush despite the vocal complaints of the electorate was sickening.

One thing that does concern me is the situation of Israel, there are so many Jewish Americans with a one sided view and it would be electoral suicide to alienate them......while they may be right, the USA could hardly be seen as impartial....
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