this bloody election is so important to the rest of the world, we should have a vote , whoever is in the white house has a massive influence on our lives.
Al Franken for the Senate by the way...
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this bloody election is so important to the rest of the world, we should have a vote , whoever is in the white house has a massive influence on our lives.
Al Franken for the Senate by the way...
The thing about the repubican nominee who may not appeal to the bible belt is that the Karl Rove types will tag on a local referendum vote along the lines of 'lower the age of sexual consent for WASP teenagers to 15/Gay marriage- delete as necessary which will rally the support base to actually go out in vote.Quote:
Originally Posted by dancinpants
I heard some journalist from the Sunday Tribune reviewing the newspapers on Newstalk recently and the subject of the US elections came up. She was talking about how vicious the dirty tricks campaigns are in the US and said she couldn't believe how outrageous some of the character slurs were - Hilary Clinton having a lesbian affair or the rumours that one of the candidates was "engaged in Mormonism" :eek: :D :D
I have citizenship, so I'll be voting. Not sure whether I'll be voting for either a Democrat or a Republican but if I do it'll probably be Obama. Need to read up a bit more on each of the candidates though.
Vote for Clinton then, because with the way shes been voting in the Senate nobodys too sure whether shes a Democrat or Republican.Quote:
Originally Posted by jmurphyc
I didn't say what I meant properly. I may not vote for either of those two parties - which will limit my choice to almost nobody - but if I was going to vote it would be for a democrat. I intensely dislike the Republican Party and will probably never vote for them in my life.Quote:
Originally Posted by dancinpants
Subtle but important difference. There is a lot of support for libertarian ethos is the US & not just on the Republican side.Quote:
Originally Posted by dahamsta
US election possibly has more impact on our lives than Irish elections although on the other hand not much difference between the two parties.
Elizabeth Kucinich
Any one see the Daily Show "interview" :D
I should have known you'd be well up for that lot given your recent "what does the government actually do" malarky. :DQuote:
Originally Posted by pete
There are supporters of the libertarian ethos, a surprising amount but in the overall scheme of things it wouldn't be THAT much. Ron Paul is receiving support because of his views on certain issues - I don't think people realise what his political outlook, as whole, is.Quote:
Originally Posted by pete
And Pete if your suggesting in the above quote that there is alot of support for the libertarian ethos on the democratic side your crazy. His outlook would have NO support whatsoever amongst hard fastened democrats. His best bet of picking up support would be amongst "independant-normally-republican-voting" people that have grown dis-illusioned by the Republican party as it stands.
Ok not that much but more than is initially obvious. Democrats would be socially minded but possibly the problem in the US is the 2 party system. While the election is important to the world is there really that much difference between them on world issues?Quote:
Originally Posted by dancinpants
With all respect to any US citizens reading this, this election is both fascinating and depressing.
It is fascinating from a "sporting" perspective insofar as the result in unclear, there is no incumbent,the potential for the first female / African American president etc.
It is depressing because (with even more respect to our US friends) the policitcl system in the US is utterly morally bankrupt and corrupt - across the board. These people (both parties) use war and terrorist attacks as a political tool. For example, name the last US president to have avoided war / invasion / bombings in their first term.
It is straight out of the "How to get re-elected" handbook - Lesson 1 - invade somebody or blow something up.
In terms of how to deal with this, if I had a vote, I would be saying that all of the candidates are utterly self centred and ruthless and the one to do the most common good and the least harm would be the choice.
This time around the GOP options are truly awful - I have never seen a candidate as bad as Thompson and I watched the Romney car crash on MTP last Sunday.
The least worst option, in my view is Hillary - plenty of baggage and some prior form but broadly speaking, the double act with Bill is IMO the least worst option.
You would think that a Democratic candidate would be a cert to win the next presidental election after 8 years of Bush/Cheney/Rove/. Unfortunately that is not the case. Important primetime television news programmes like ABC's (since the death of the hugely infleuntial Canadian news anchor Peter Jennings) have swung to the right. Local "news" stations and local newspapers across the US mostly right wing. AOL right leaning in its online news coverage. I spend a lot of time in Eastern Pennsylvania and if you go into a bank or doctors office many of them have Fox news on. This was not the case 7 years ago. Proxy and blatant racism and sexism is rampant. In the workplace. On the TV. It is very similiar to how England was in the 70's. So the Democrtic candidate will ahve to overcome all that to get elected.Quote:
Originally Posted by Angus
Saw Kuchinich on telly in the middle of the night in a motel room in Milwaukee* - wants the US out of Iraq now, wants a free, universal health service, an end to tax breaks for big oil, he's pro-choice ......
He'd get my vote, no question
* i was in the motel room, not Denis
Unfortunately has no chance on his own. I Expect Bloomberg to form an Independent party with Chuck Hagel and others. Not sure they could get elected but they will take a ton of votes away from the Republicians.Quote:
Originally Posted by sonofstan
Well a third force could have a major impact on the elections for sure.Quote:
Originally Posted by Noelys Guitar
John Anderson ran as a third force in the 1980's and that billionaire eccentric whose name escapes me ran in the 1990's.
ross perot , nutter
Anyone catch Barack on the Daily Show last night? Made a good point in response to Hilary being more experienced, and thus more capable to run the White House. He asked people who say that to look at who the two most experienced senators were this decade, Rumsfeld and Cheney, and ask themselves how they've panned out as senior figures in the Bush adminstration. Good point. Plus he came across as likeable, down to earth and with his finger on the pulse as ever. If this man isn't the next President America will have missed a great chance to set right the wrongs of the last 8 years
That was a re-run. The whole democrat primaries are all about limiting damage to the eventual winner so you will see little or no attacks.Quote:
Originally Posted by jebus
Reading about Guilianis "consulting" in recent years & can't see how he could survive the scrutiny of a Presidential Election.
http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0104/uselection.html?rssQuote:
Invoking the civil rights struggle and his own life story and buoyed by chants of 'Obama', the senator from Illinois told the crowd that 'change is coming to America'.
Interesting to watch. Very early days. Obama is certainly the most charismatic. Would like to think he could do well. But is America really ready for a Black or Female president? He would certainly be my choice from all the candidates.
From a purely Irish perspective I'd rather see Hilary elected, As Bill did amazing work on the NI peace process and I believe she would follow up on that,