The "Hang on, we're already in April on the year of a US Election!" Thread!

[Huw Dawson]

Seriously AGS-folk, I am dissapointed in you.

The biggest political event for the last 4 years is happening in November, and none of the politcally minded folks on these here forums have made a topic!

I implore you to spout opinion, throw mud, and generally harrass each other!

- Huw

PS: And, to have a more normal start to a thread...

Hey folks,

The US presidential elections are up in 6 months time, what do you lot think is going to happen?

- Huw

[jetxl]

Whoever wins... We lose.

[Tuomas]

I feel an evident "Democrats battle against each other and McCain picks up all the fruit of it" discussion approaching. At least that seems to be the common comprehensus(+sp) around the world from NYTimes to Spiegel for what I have heard.

[Emerald]

What do think of Brian Cowen?

I think he'll be a much better Taoiseach than Bertie Ahern. Borty was a rotten apple.
He seems a bit stiff, though.
They call him the "Big Ignorant Fucker From Offaly."




Edit: That wasn't random. I'm making a point about American's near-sightedness

[Pumaman]

The biggest political event for the last 4 years is happening in November, and none of the politcally minded folks on these here forums have made a topic!

Well exactly, it's not happening for another 6 months, why should we be thinking about it now? Do we start to talk about Christmas in July because it's only 6 months away?

Whatever happens it's likely that the media will find themselves unable to cover the actual policies of the candidates and just go on about the fact that the Democrat candidate is black or a woman instead, so I can't say I'm particularly psyched up about the whole thing.

[Emerald]

CJ, I'm always in awe of your ability to take things as they are and sum it up with perfect simplicity, without all the fanciful theatrics with which I do it...

Ooh, tell Sweet and Big Smoke I said hi!

[rharpe]

Well exactly, it's not happening for another 6 months, why should we be thinking about it now? Do we start to talk about Christmas in July because it's only 6 months away?

Whatever happens it's likely that the media will find themselves unable to cover the actual policies of the candidates and just go on about the fact that the Democrat candidate is black or a woman instead, so I can't say I'm particularly psyched up about the whole thing.

Ditto! Good one CJ!

Personally, I hate politics. And that's that.

[Huw Dawson]

Well exactly, it's not happening for another 6 months, why should we be thinking about it now? Do we start to talk about Christmas in July because it's only 6 months away?

Whatever happens it's likely that the media will find themselves unable to cover the actual policies of the candidates and just go on about the fact that the Democrat candidate is black or a woman instead, so I can't say I'm particularly psyched up about the whole thing.

Well, considering that the Democrat race has just been given more oomph by Clinton getting back in the race, I thought it would kill two birds with one stone - it gets us talking about something, and it serves as an interesting discussion as the three knock seven bells out of each other.

Well, technically 4, but Nader can never get more than around 2% of the vote because of the rights that the Democrats and Conservatives to close down his meetings and speeches... "This is a democratic country... as long as we ultimately end up being in charge".

And I agree with CJ on the "ZOMG! A BLACK/WOMAN IS RUNNING!" comments that the US media will be able to shout rather than confusing the average hasn't-got-two-brain-cells-to-rub-together voter.

Of course, any fool can see that Obama should run... he doesn't have an annoying accent (6 months of Hilary... my ears will be ripped off and I'd have shot myself! ) and he has a certain amount of defence because of his ethnicity - being Black it is much harder to force an Ad Hominem attack at him (the bread and butter of US Presidential campaigns) - unfortunatly you can get away with rampant sexism - anybody woman who protests can be spun as a feminist, and I think everybody knows a feminist joke...

I think that Have I Got News for You sums it up - "Obama and Clinton are racing in the polls to see who gets to be beaten by McKane". If the depression hits hard before the autumn, voters in the US will go Conservative. Of course, the Democrats won the House of Representatives two years ago, maybe that momentum could carry through to the Senate?

- Huw

[Nacho]

Huw, I think that you are trying to keep the flame of a thread that interests nobody, actually...

[Becky]

It's interesting, but interesting in the same way that a tooth extraction is.  It's going to be long, painful and messy, and cost the earth.

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

I'm penciling in Ron Paul on my ballot, regardless.  That's really all I have to say about this.

[InCreator]

My take on the subject:

For the President of the United States, it doesn't really matter who wins. Only candidate that can play the game of bald, rich, clever white men making deals on country fate... is McCain. And he won't win (or so it seems). So, anyone else would simply be a puppet.

After all, USA has a president. Always had.
It's American Dollar.

So whoever wins, dollar still decides everything. Earth would still spin around, people would still eat hamburgers and watch Hollywood movies. And money keeps circulating.
---

But for the other (unwritten) role of US president, something near world leader?
Someone with strong voice in global matters?

Here, we are doomed. I don't see how hillbilly woman or raised-muslim black man would make important decisions for rest of the globe. Racist or not, I think that both main candidates are... well... not material for this. In that position, good leader must have a bit broader vision that extends over that tiny bit of large continent we call USA. They do not seem to be those people up for the task.

The leadership in US, how it's built, sounds sometimes like a strange social experiment, similar to Soviet Union. Too many nukes under one persons finger. But I'm sure there's some kind of shadow system to keep everything in order even if things hit the fan. Maybe some dark project with a Delta Force operative and M24 sniper rifle with a bullet for president and coverup legend/forged evidence ready to blame someone else, if president crosses some invisible line... Just wondering. Could make a cool story, hmm.

[Makeout Patrol]

If the depression hits hard before the autumn, voters in the US will go Conservative.

Somehow, I think you have that backwards.

Anyhow, American politics frustrates me. I'm a socialist, so there's little to get me excited in the race between the Very Conservative Party and the Slightly Conservative Party. I know that Americans are all about the laissez-faire economics, but maybe the recession will force opinion in the opposite direction somewhat.

I hope Obama wins; I like his platform a lot more than Clinton's, he has a lot more charisma than Clinton, and I simply don't trust Clinton ever since she let herself be intimidated into dropping her universal health care initiative. I don't like McCaine's politics, but he's the most respectable out of the candidates that he defeated, and I wouldn't be as disgusted with him being president as I would be with, say, Huckabee or Paul.

[EldKatt]

I don't see how hillbilly woman or raised-muslim black man would make important decisions for rest of the globe. Racist or not, I think that both main candidates are... well... not material for this.

Please tell me you mean something other than what that looks like.

[Radiant]

The biggest political event for the last 4 years is happening in November,

Psah. Talk about hybris. The China olympic games and its Tibet controversy, as well as the present Zimbabwe situation, are presently way more important than that mudslinging circus you call an election. America is not nearly as important to the rest of the world as it thinks it is.  Although with a bowl of popcorn, the continual flaming can be fun to watch.

I'm reasonably sure the democrats have ruined their chances by now through their vicious infighting. That may be for the best, however, as with the present economical crisis, the next president will probably have to make too many harsh decisions to stay popular for long.

[Huw Dawson]

Well, when the richest and most powerful (theoretically) country on Earth gathers together to decide what the majority want to do for the next 4 years, I think that it is a pretty important event in its own right. You have to remember that this is a country of 250,000,000 people.

By the way, what is with all the negativity towards a bit of debate these days? Has everyone simply stopped caring? I try and up the posting activity with a little bit of political debate...



Anyway, I heard that the big three all made speeches on RAW a few nights back, though. Anyone see it, or got a clip? It sounds pretty interesting.

- Huw

EDIT: I'm a leftie too, for the record. The stagnation in the US political system is really a sight to behold. At least in the UK we have a "nearly socialist" party... granted, it's the Lib Dems (rather than New Labour), but still.

[Emerald]

I think people give way too much credit to their 'president'. Nobody ever notices the army of advisers and councilors and officials who make absolutely sure that every tiny 'decision' the president 'makes' is the best course of action. Instead they fixate on who's preacher is making a fool of himself, or who's campaign adverts are going over the top to determine the next president. But it doesn't matter. Politicians are all the same.

Do you really think the reason tens of thousands of men and tanks are rolling over Iraqi soil thousands of miles away is because of some old Texan at the white house? That was decades in the making, yet people seem to think Bush just snapped his fingers and made it happen on a whim, just for the laugh.

[EldKatt]

Well, when the richest and most powerful (theoretically) country on Earth gathers together to decide what the majority want to do for the next 4 years, I think that it is a pretty important event in its own right.

When you consider that the majority in this case is a rather slim one, and the two big ones aren't that different, the impact lessens considerably.

[Huw Dawson]

Well, one has it's election this year. The worrying thing about America and China is that they are so similar, yet neither really talk to each other.

- Huw

[Fee]

Anyone else notice the complete lack of anything in the news other than Obama V Clinton?

They are covering up somthing else thats going on by distracting you with crap about an election thats still 6 months off.
Anyone know whats going on in Iraq at the moment? No, because they arent reporting it, they are distracting you with Election talk.

Never before have i seen them make such a big deal out the the compitition of 2 candidates from the same party. Its not like both of them can run, and its not like the public has any say in who gets to run.

We all know Obama cant be President, hes black and hes an Arab. No im not Racist, but the shit would hit the fan if he got in, especially in the southern states!
Clinton is a Woman who is only there because of the arrangement made when Bill was caught with his pants down. Again, im not sexist, but alot of Older people are, and again the shit would hit the fan IMO.

Seems to me with all this publicity, they are both doing more damage to their reputations than good too.

If either Clinton or Obama get in, the EC will just enstate McCain.
Why? Because the people who really run the US (The reserve bank, DuPont, Arms Dealers ect) want the turmoil in the Middle East to continue. McCain has the same dumbass Attitude as bush and will make a Perfect puppet. Hell, hes already stated that they will be in Iraq for the next 100 years...