Obama

[guzziguy]

Depending on the law of your state, you may be cancelling out your vote by sending out an absentee ballot and going to the polls and voting. I was an attoney poll watcher in '04 and '06 for the Democratic party so they made me learn voting laws so when the Republicans would challenge voters we could explain why the were wrong.

Ron Paul scares me as much as the other Republicans. The Democrats just scare me a little less. We need a third party and public financing of campaigns. It's time to get the corporations out of politics.

I do one or the other. I either fill out and mail in the absentee ballot or I take it into the polling place. So I doubt that I'm invalidating my vote.

They all scare me. I'd love to see a viable third party. One that's fiscally conservative and socially progressive. You know, kind of the opposite of the current administration. It probably won't happen in my life time.

[Dusty Chalk]

[Iron_Dreamer]

They all scare me. I'd love to see a viable third party. One that's fiscally conservative and socially progressive. You know, kind of the opposite of the current administration. It probably won't happen in my life time.

Yeah, but at least it's less likely that the US empire will fatally collapse in your lifetime than mine

[Duggeh]

Insofar as my conversations on this side of the pond have revealed, Obama is the candidate that people are quietly nodding for. If only (maybe) because he stands in the starkest antithesis to Dubya, and everyone outside of the USA hates, or just makes fun of, Dubya.

[grawk]

Insofar as my conversations on this side of the pond have revealed, Obama is the candidate that people are quietly nodding for. If only (maybe) because he stands in the starkest antithesis to Dubya, and everyone outside of the USA hates, or just makes fun of, Dubya.

Then in the UK, you're not getting the impression that he's a shallow pool with nothing below the surface?

[Duggeh]

We have had 10 years of Tony Blair for that. Now we're probably going to get David Cameron to replace him. After Big Gordie gets his time that is.

If America had the large third wheel in politics that we have in the UK with the Lib Dems, then the political spectrum would be a lot more interesting. The trouble is that the danger of a third wheel (or multiple, larger small wheels) is if they grow so much that the big wheels shrink. (OR if you use proportional representation). Thats the road that leads to minority governments, coalitions and other circumstances where you end up with nothing being done whatsoever because theres insufficient authority. The biggest antithesis to the American 2 party situation (in a western democracy of good standing) is probably Italy.

Ramble, ramble ramble, opinions, opinions opinions. Voter apathy, vot.. etc.

[Iron_Dreamer]

But the point is that nearly anyone you talk to agrees that it's a shitfest (too bad more of 'em didn't see it coming 7 years ago), so push has to come to shove eventually here.

[grawk]

But the point is that nearly anyone you talk to agrees that it's a shitfest (too bad more of 'em didn't see it coming 7 years ago), so push has to come to shove eventually here.

Some of us think things would be much worse if the other guy had won 7 years ago.

[grawk]

And as long as the government approves funding for my contract, everything else can be defunded, and I'd be happy.

[Iron_Dreamer]

Some of us think things would be much worse if the other guy had won 7 years ago.

Perhaps, indeed. Perhaps there was no good outcome possible. But it didn't take long into that campaign before it became obvious that ol' Bushie was major trouble. Whatever. Anyway, it's either up from here, or we're all slaves to the Chinese in a decade or so.

[Duggeh]

I shall make a point to avoid Mayan materials in my subsequent classes.

[Duggeh]

Makes it pretty obvious I haven't studied them doesnt it? Getting the vocabulary wrong.

Best go do some more revision on boobs, willys, circumcision, anorexia and such. Sex&Gender is a brilliant anthro class.

[Thelonious Monk]

I like Obama. As a furry, I like human/animal hybrids.

[mirumu]

If America had the large third wheel in politics that we have in the UK with the Lib Dems, then the political spectrum would be a lot more interesting. The trouble is that the danger of a third wheel (or multiple, larger small wheels) is if they grow so much that the big wheels shrink. (OR if you use proportional representation). Thats the road that leads to minority governments, coalitions and other circumstances where you end up with nothing being done whatsoever because theres insufficient authority. The biggest antithesis to the American 2 party situation (in a western democracy of good standing) is probably Italy.

Here in New Zealand we have a proportional system with coalition governments, etc. After a few early hiccups from changing from a majority wins system it's not been that bad. It's still mostly a two party system but the 4-5 smaller parties are getting at least some input. Big changes still get through if they have enough support and deservedly don't if support isn't there. The economy is doing well and the country is running surpluses. There are problems too of course, but they are small when compared to past governments in the old style. I admit I wasn't much of a fan of proportional government until I saw the results.

I have been keeping up with the American election although it's unfortunately only Fox news broadcasting much of it here. Saw the republican candidate debate yesterday and honestly they all seemed much of the same to me. Except Ron Paul that is. Don't know why they rated him so poorly afterwards, I'm sure if that was a NZ debate they'd have considered he won it by a mile.

[mirumu]

Insofar as my conversations on this side of the pond have revealed, Obama is the candidate that people are quietly nodding for. If only (maybe) because he stands in the starkest antithesis to Dubya, and everyone outside of the USA hates, or just makes fun of, Dubya.

I don't see just Obama support here, it's probably 50:50 Obama and Hillary. General opinion seems to be that almost anyone would be an improvement over Dubya. At least some of that is because the only time we see him on TV is when he's done something stupid. You don't really see anyone mention his name without following it with a joke of some sort.

[postjack]

I have been keeping up with the American election although it's unfortunately only Fox news broadcasting much of it here.

That is unfortunate.

I'm a huge Matthews/Russert/Brokaw fan, and they're all on MSNBC.

As far as improvements over Dubya, pretty much any of them would be, except for Romney, Huckabee, Thompson, and Edwards. (I threw in a democrat to be fair and balanced, like fox news )

[deepak]

I don't see just Obama support here, it's probably 50:50 Obama and Hillary. General opinion seems to be that almost anyone would be an improvement over Dubya. At least some of that is because the only time we see him on TV is when he's done something stupid. You don't really see anyone mention his name without following it with a joke of some sort.

I think Hillary would do a fine job.

From talking to friends in Ireland and England it seems Obama/Clinton is also close to 50/50.

[blessingx]

Without knowing more (Obama stop giving the 'hope' speech

and give details) it feels like a great year to be a Democrat. At least three cadidates I could live with. Now if someone could just explain to me the 16 year olds love for Ron I don't know history/Don't necessarily believe in evolution/Revert power to the states makes everthing magically better/Slavery was a property issue Paul I would be happy.

[fierce_freak]

I'm not nearly educated enough on this election (man, where does the time go? anyone have a link for a general run down of each candidates general positions?), but there are certain choices I definitely don't want.

[mirumu]

here you go.

Haha, that was great.

[fierce_freak]

the most comprehensive list...evar! thanks

[Knuckledragger]

[aardvark baguette]

I'm no economist, but I dont understand Ron Paul at all. He seems crazy to be honest. I hate taxes, dont get me wrong, but talk about pipe dreams.

How many years have all the candidates been promising to balance the budget? Still waiting on that one, lol. And he plans to replace tax income via import/export terriffs, if I'm not mistaken. How does he plan on paying for anything local? And you cant just stop using the coast guard, FFS.

I know Fox news is considered the joke of news for most people, but the truth is all the stations are biased in some way or another. Chris Matthews? He's not a journalist. He's a commentator, as far as I'm concerned. MSNBC is way, way more biased than Fox ever was. They just happen to be biased towards democrats. The liberal media really does a great job convincing everybody FOX is so biased, when in fact, its usually a knee-jerk reaction from those stations, who are all biased towards the liberal, in my opinion. FOX just happens to be less biased the same way, so everybody just assumes that they are skewed ones.

[grawk]

he seems crazy to you because you aren't used to candidates who give a shit about the constitution.

why would he care about paying for local things? that isn't the federal government's job. the coast guard is constitutionally iffy.

Most of the coast guard's job is a subsidy to the fishing industry.

[aardvark baguette]

I guess iffy or not, they seem pretty important to me. You take them out of the loop, and I'm willing to bet you'd see a drop in drug smuggling via cars from Mexico.

This is all well above my pay grade, but it seems like you can't just go in and make sweeping changes without severe consequences. I really dont want to present myself as 'clued in', because I'm not, but thats just my overall impression. I guess I'll just say that most of what I've heard him say gives me great pause.