Politics - To Our American Bretheren

[Necron2.0]

The reason why people would vote for a Republican with the views you've stated, Dr., is because the overwhelming majority of those who'd vote for the Republican ticket do not give a rat's flaming buttocks for the issues you've mentioned. Rabid environmentalism may play big in the UK, but it doesn't put food on the table here. As for the Palin, McCain didn't choose her for her mental acuity. He chose her because he was an old white man running against a young black man, and he needed a gimmick.

[Verilance]

Canada will just ship it to China. This isn't a choice between pumping oil or not pumping oil, it's a choice between a pipeline or shipping it to China.

If you think trying to build a pipeline across America was hard, it is nothing compared to having to build a pipeline across British Columbia so that they can ship the oil to China.

Every Native Community will most likely oppose it and since they "own" the land it will be very difficult for Alberta to get its oil to the coast

[wittdooley]

In regards to Palin - as others have stated, most Americans think she's a fool. She's embarrassingly ignorant in public and is one of the worst public speakers I've ever seen.

In regards to religion & republicans - It's a shame these to ate linked so inorexably. Religious fundamentalism is a huuuuuuge deal in middle America. You could argue the crazy Christians in the "middle" are just as bad as the stereotypically "worst" muslim fundamentalist: indoctrination starts very early, most are armed, and most are ignorant and easily swayed to a political viewpoint. There are plenty of things that make sense when it comes to being a republican, particularly fiscal conservativism. Sadly, that sentiment of fiscal responsibility gets mixed with all the anti-abortion, hyper religious nut jobs.

In regards to Obama- full disclosure: I voted for him in 08. I was relatively fresh out of college. I was a bright eyed, bushy tailed teacher that really liked what be said he'd d in regards t education. So did th NEA (national educators association). So they endorsed him and lots of teachers voted for him. But he didn't do anything he said he would to improve education. Young teachers can no longer get jobs because teachers unions protect ****ty teachers. And he supports them. He's going to lose a lot of the educator vote this time around, which could certainly turn swing states like Ohio. But he'll still get the majority of the minority vote, because he supports welfare and unearned entitlement. And because he's black.

[Aldramelech]

I'd like to see Boris Johnson as the next PM with Amanda Holden as Deputy PM and free pancakes on pancake day.

[eldargal]

Best guvmint ever!

I'd like to see Boris Johnson as the next PM with Amanda Holden as Deputy PM and free pancakes on pancake day.

I remember watching Palins first public appearance (at that big, vulgar conference-concert thing American politicians are so keen on) and being really impressed with her. I thought a smart, indepedent, competent female republican would really be good for America and good for women. Then I saw her first unscripted interview and if I facepalm, I would have facepalmed. The depth of her stupidity took my breath away, literally.

I still love when someone said, in defence of her foreign policy aptitude or lackthereof, something long the lines that she is an expert on foreign policy because on a clear day she can see Russia from her front door.

[Lord Azaghul]

This is to the Yanks amongst our numbers, but also as a general point



But my question is if you don't want this stereotype why in gods name do you let Republicans open their mouths and what in the name of all that is holy makes people vote for them?

You lost a great deal of my respect right there with that statement.

Its about has ignorant has you're claiming the majority of Republicans are.

[wittdooley]

I remember watching Palins first public appearance (at that big, vulgar conference-concert thing American politicians are so keen on) and being really impressed with her. I thought a smart, indepedent, competent female republican would really be good for America and good for women.

That, honestly, really describes Hillary Clinton. If she was 10 years younger and looked like Palin, she would have beaten Obama in the Primaries. I'm firmly convinced of that.

As sad as that statement is, if/when the United States elects its first female President, she is going to be attractive. Not model attractive, mind you, but Palin gives you a good idea of what a female candidate in the US will have to look like.

But she's going to have to be Hella sharp. I mean, moreso than ANY man.

Honestly, I'd say Kirsten Gillibrand is our next reasonably viable candidate. She's attractive enough, but not disarmingly so that women won't vote for her and she'll still be taken seriously.

I realize how shallow that sounds, and how much of a poor indictment that is of America, but it is how it is.

Further, if the Government was REALLY concerned with more people getting to the polls, they'd make voting day a Federal Holiday. I mean, FFS, Presidents Day and Martin Luther King day are federal holidays. You're telling me that we can't have one once every 4 years to determine the most important decision in the country?

As it stands, the majority of that 60% (at best) votership is unemployed (this includes folks on welfare, unemployment, those that "home school," and those that are stay at home parents--the majority of this population is undereducated or completely uneducated) or retired (pretty much every old person votes in the US--pretty much all of whom are voting for whomever the Republican candidate is) or highly motivated with a very distinct viewpoint. The middle class is probably the least represented (I'm sure there are stats to back this up somewhere) because both parties are so focused on getting either the very rich or the very poor vote.

The biggest issue is our bipartisan system. There aren't any other successful democratic nations with only two political parties in the world. It creates a real problem; you're either a republican or a democrat. People that hold moderate views, or people that are fiscally conservative and socially democratic (like myself) don't have a viable place. Sure, there are Libertarians, etc., but those parties have little to no chance of getting a candidate elected. I mean, I care about Gov't Spending and couldn't give a Frack about being "green" unless it saves me money, but I don't think we have any place telling a woman she can't abort her faetus(which, in the US, is legally defined as not a human), nor do I care if a dude wants to marry another dude. I care about education, but think we need to get rid of our "everyone should go to college" (not everyone should) philosphy. There isn't a party for me that will be able to elect a candidate.

It is. What is it.

[Lord Azaghul]

A few points off of whittdooley.

Female Present: I'm not sure about recently, but at late as 10 years ago, the problem with Women in leadership roles, especially politics was other Women. I recall reading several studies/polls that concluded it was Women who had the hardest time voting for a Female candidate!

I agree she'll have to be attractive - but not so attractive she's intimating! People naturally like 'good looking' people.

Not sure I understand your 'unemployed voter ship' statement. MY understanding is that the greatest voter demographic is the elderly - whom are retired - not unemployed. My experience has also been that the unemployed tend NOT to vote republican.

Bipartisanship is ruining our country. It creates a lot of unfortunate stereotypes, and it attempts to quality the majority of people into 2 very unrealistic and unreasonable categories.

Moderation is ALMOST not permitted!

[MaltonNecromancer]

I don't know about anyone else, but I miss "The West Wing". Everyone was so dignified and intelligent.
...

So anyway, I like America. They make good films and better TV.
I like Britain. We make 40K and "Doctor Who" and "Being Human".

I only actually have two things to really add, in response to DarkLink:

You live in england and think that government run health care is a good thing? That's the first time I've heard that before.

My dear fellow, the NHS is the only real religion the British have. To appreciate our attitude, watch that episode of "The Simpsons" where Lisa gets shown a vision of the future and sees who she's going to get her heart broken by (he's some British guy or other). She dumps him in favour of Homer. Because yeah, Homer's fat and sweaty and stupid and doesn't really work, but life's better with him than without. The NHS is Homer Simpson and the UK public is Lisa - just because we complain doesn't mean we don't love it. The alternative is a nightmare none of us want - we all see the US system and the thought chills me to the core.

I mean, really what you have to understand is that if you're English, you like to complain. If England was an X-Man, s/he'd be The Complainer, and his/her power would be To Find Fault With Everything.

So when you hear English people complain about the NHS, what they're actually doing is simply enjoying one another's company. The actual notion that the NHS might be dismanted would lead to people getting skinned alive in front of their children. (And I'm not kidding - the suggestion that David Cameron might even slightly hurt the NHS cost the Conservative part 4% in an opinion poll this week, putting Labour 1% ahead of them for the first time since the election. That is a ludicrous number of people!)

YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE HOW MUCH WE LOVE THE NHS.

Wait, you think they're bad? Why? I'd love to hear whatever bull**** argument you'd try to come up with.

Umm... Guns kill people?

Why would I want guns in the hands of untrained amateurs? Or even worse, trained professionals who could kill me dead?! I mean seriously, why?

Again, this is a cultural thing. To give you some personal context, here in the Uk, there was the case of a teacher who had posted a single photo of himself with toy dart guns, posing like Hitman (he was a fan of the game or something). HE MADE THE NATIONAL PAPERS, with most of them calling for him to lose his job - it was a minor outcry.

Then, when you've got something like the Raoul Moat case, where a nutter goes off with a gun killing people, there's no gun lobby here to argue that guns are good. The number of legal hoops you have to jump through to own black powder weapons is Herculean, let alone something that can actually fire off bullets properly.

I think you have to remember that perspective on guns is coloured by culture. If you can't imagine not being allowed to own them, you should visit the UK some time, and see what it's like in a land without firearms. I'm not saying we don't have shootings. It's just... well, they're really rare - despite what people may say about gangland violence, or what Guy Ritchie films may present.

There's also the fact that even carrying a prop gun (which includes anything that could be mistaken for a gun) carries a sentence of five year's imprisonment here. A man had been robbing banks in the 90's using a tire iron in a plastic supermarket bag, pretending it was a shotgun. He'd done this because he'd assumed that as it wasn't a gun, he wouldn't be done for armed robbery. The judge ruled that the trauma he'd caused meant it didn't matter that there was no gun, and so now the law in the UK is incredibly tight.

And frankly, that's kind of how most of us like it. I can't imagine any way my life or the life of any of my friends would be improved by owning a gun. I could always go grouse shooting if I want to hunt I suppose - shotgun licenses are (relatively) easily available. But I don't know why I'd want to. Quite genuinely. The whole idea of wanting to own one is really quite bizarre to me.

I'm not saying it's wrong per se, it's just... kind of weird. And a bit lame.

I will say that when I heard people in the US were lobbying to own fully automatic assault weaponry "to go hunting", I laughed so hard that a little bit of wee came out. Who do they honestly think they're kidding? Hunting with a fully auto M4? What the hell are you hunting, frakking laser-powered death moose?

Why can't they just come out and say "I want it because I think it's cool; I can't justify it at all"?

Bizarre.

[eldargal]

Rules me out, I can't even get a paid museum position because I frighten all the female academics and make them feel inadequate.

I agree she'll have to be attractive - but not so attractive she's intimating!

I agree with MaltonNecromancer on the NHS. As to guns, if you like eating grouse and pheasant that is reason enough to own one. Damned things are delicious.