Someone had to do it...

As many of you are (sort of) aware, it's election time in the United States. I was just wondering how you all across the pond (or our northern neighbor) feel about this election. I know the US hasn't had a good rap in the worldly arena lately, and I was wondering if any of you had an opinion on the matter.

Anybody in the US can post too, but I am really curious about what anyone else has to say.

It's an important matter to a lot of people, and a lot of my favorite bands have been making their stand on the issue, and I guess I just wanted a global perspective.

This isn't meant to start any arguments, I'm just curious.

If Obama's ideals are what he actually practices, then we'll be fine, but I think his administration will find them quite difficult to implement. On the other hand, McCain might just be too much of the same; We need to get out of Vietnow is what I'm saying.

Either way, I think they both know what they're doing, but I'm a little nervous about Palin. McCain is quite old, and rapid health deterioration can kind of come out of nowhere. I do not want her to be President... Or Vice President now that I think about it.

I would guess most international people support Obama due to the 8 years of America policing the rest of the world.

Canadian and under aged! w00t!

what i say is get a list with what people want, EVERY person gets one, check off what they want. then eliminate the minorities, and start over, with everyone wanting the same thing, and raising theyre kids that it was right.

They all suck!!!

I've never been more disgusted in candidates. I think Obama will get us out of war, but will screw up every thing else. You'll pay more taxes, you may get shady health care coverage and the economy will continue to decline as he try's to tax us to prosperity. He will be like a mini-Bill Clinton but not quite as successful.

McCain will be the same pile of doggie doo doo, which i not a good thing but it can always be worse.

Besides if American really wanted change then Ron Paul would have done better and would be running in McCains place.

Go Obama. Reality is, if McCain is elected, then there is a possibility that he might pass away due to his ilness', if that happens then we have Palin, a crazy telepromter reading lunatic lol.

OBAMA. Friends don't let friends vote McCain.

I'm kinda on the middle. I think both candidates have similar energy and immigration policies (only main diff. is that McCain wants more border patrols). Foreign Policy wise, I like Obama better. Healthcare, I'm not too sure about.

As far as taxes/economy is concerned, my school recently had a writer for the Wall Street Journal come in and tell us about which candidate would help solve the economic mess. According to him, McCain's policy of upper-class tax cuts would help stimulate business growth better and would lead to better economy (ie, Reagan and surprisingly, Kennedy). Also, Obama campaign always talks about middle class tax relief is necessary because the rich have gotten too many tax breaks. But apparently, the top 20% of income pays 80% of taxes already. So I guess McCain?

I dunno, it's very confusing. (But on a side note, I don't see why everyone thinks Obama is the most historical candidate... McKinney from the Green Party is a black woman. She has the race dynamic and the gender dynamic!)

did i hear that obama is banning firearms?

No, since that right is protected by the 2nd Amendment of our Constitution. He is proposing a 500% tax increase on ammunition though (not 3000% which I originally heard!) which, IMO, is bull***!!!!!

It's not gonna stop criminals (neither will banning guns). Recently, a cop was shot in my area by a convicted felon on parole. He was not allowed to buy guns anyway, so it was either stolen or illegally purchased. Criminals can get guns illegally however they want, even if there is laws banning the sale of them.

BodomBeachTerror: No it is another "myth" that came up early in campaigning much like him being "middle eastern" and "conspiracy with terrorists" myths.

Yeah, and in reality, the president doesn't have that kind of power to "ban guns"

I'm personally a little split on the issues, but I voted Obama. As much as I respect McCain, I feel Obama is the best choice for the future. I don't know the answer, but I don't think anyone does. I just hope for the best.

But on a side note; Palin scared the *** out of me. I am terrified of her being in power. I'm all for a woman president, but Palin is a complete idiot.

I'm pretty sure he actually has a "the second amendment means what it says"-stance. He (Obama) really moved more towards the center as the election neared... so yeah.

okay good, cuz that itself is a good enough excuse not to vote for him

Gun control is a tough issue. I dunno. It's just a violent world.

Yeah, we Americans will let you buy a gun but don't you dare show your boobies at a beach they will hall you off and throw a way the key.

if u cant have a gun whats stopping some big muscular guy to waltz into your house and rape your wife?

Plus, we let 16-year-olds (sometimes younger!) drive 2-ton steel projectiles down our roads...

I agree, it is a violent world. :(

I don;t think any one person knows the right answer, but as a whole, I think we can all make the choices we think are right. I think a lot of it is having a good balance.

Anyways, Obama won, so that makes me happy.

And I still want you foreign folks to join the conversation!

How do you elect someone when all the votes aren't counted? The last I saw (after Obama hit 297), only like 51% of the votes were tallied.

IDK.

The electoral college. The electoral college works differently then the popular vote. When you vote, you vote for someone to vote for you. They then proceed to vote for the candidate that represents their party. That's why the US is a representative democracy.

Obama won the electoral college relatively quickly. Because McCain knew he wasn't going to win, he conceded. It required 270 electoral votes for the majority, and as soon as that mark is hit, the election is over. It has nothing to do with the popular vote. But the way it seems to stand, it's likely Obama would win the popular anyways. Anything over 300 electoral votes is considered a landslide.

Sounds like the Summer Olympics to me.




A dead-bolt.

ok im with obama (good thing to hes won)
one thing palin=crazy and if obama got rid of guns would it be so bad? I mean you have the death penalty theres no need for you to start playing judge jury and exicutioner. Plus the legalisation of guns has to have an effect on the numbers of murders accidental or otherwise

I congratulate Obama, but I also think our countries should respect where we originate from and who originated from it. I'm not being racists, I'm just saying White people should run their own country, Black, Asian, and so on, should run their own, not any one else’s.

Though I personally don't care enough to protest, he's got good ideals.

Madman, the thing is, if there aren't any guns, people will do what England kids do here... and use a knife instead. The kids are taking them from their kitchens now and using them every day. There are more Knife crimes than there are for any other crime in England. What a shame. I'd rather not die such a torturous death, either.

yea, id rather get shot and killed then stabbed to death

'Jazzy your not trying to be a racist? what u said got to do with nothing other than racisim.

NM, to you yes but Jazz maybe able to see it from a well informed or corrective view, myself I feel it's good but I worry it will turn into America's Margret Thatcher...

true about the knife thing although in schools they now have prison guards coming in and showing pictures of bodies after knife killings and gun crime and talk to us and show us pics of injuries got in prisons from homemade blades most of the hard bullying types went out cause they felt sick and one had a fit from shock n fainted. As long as kids are shown what consequences their actions have they usually will show more wariness, plus i think americans should get rid of guns i mean what about the school shootings?

Oh? And what about the british school shootings? America's not alone in that, hell think Dunblane.

I know people that being shown the consequences of will make them want to knife someone more and here in Wales we don't get that **, we never have in my area so people arn't detered at all by the schools.

the best things is to keep weapons away from everyone theres no freedom in fighting only more fighting its a vicous cycle that continues till people are dead or in lesser cases beaten till they cant continue

I'd have great respect for obama if he gets the troops back home and doesnt go starting any pointless wars that are non of his business

NM, not really man. I'm pretty sure you wouldn't agree to having a white american come over to your country and start running it, wouldn't you?

The same way I think a Chinese person shouldn't run Canada, or a Japanese person running Africa.

I just think we should keep to our historian roots and respect where we came from.

Madman, that's insane. I've never known anyone to show stuff like that in a school, I wish they showed that to a few people I knew, teach them a lesson or two.

Nutter, there have been cases of that, yes. But my point is that there are more knife killings than shootings.

But unfortunately this world is corrupt, and we'll always find a way to seek revenge or satisfy one's sick desires. It can't be stopped anymore.

Jazz: What you're saying doesn't make sense. You're saying 'people should run their own country' like a black person can not belong in America - it's like segregation on a world wide scale. America is America, and Obama is an American. His mother was American. I've never thought of it as a 'white persons country', because isn't it promoted as the land of the free? The level of freedom in America can of course be debated, but what can't be is the right to equal oppurtunity - and what you're saying is that because of factors that he was born into and can not control (the colour of his skin being one of them), this man doesn't have the same rights as other men in America.

Which is pretty racist.

Hmm, in that context it is racism Doz, but they context I was reading it as from the original mentioning of it was that a native or someone born into that country would run it, not like the ol' colonal days where Britian was running india and china was running taiwan (think it was taiwan)..

Jazz, I know we have more knife crime I was responding to madman's comment on american school shootings.

What about a child of two Americans born in a different country, and is an American citizen? What about a 3 quarter american, 1 quarter brit who has been brought up as an American? It's hard to draw a line really, isn't it?


What you're talking about, when Britain ruled other countries is not even similar. That was British government controlling other counties. This is an American, leading America.

I'm not saying they don't belong, they're obviously welcome to the country, I personally love different cultures. I have many friends of all different cultured backgrounds, and they too, agree with me on this view. There really isn't anything racist about it, especially when my cultured friends agree, we can all have a civilised conversation and not get offended with another's view. It's really just an opinion.

You can ask many countries what they would think, and they would probably say the same.

I don't really agree, no country is free anymore, they may quote that, but we're all restricted with so many rules and regulations... it sucks.

Nutter, I get you now. :D

Doz, actually my cousins are American, and one of them was born in Canada, so he wasn't classed as an American citizen, he had to get all the cards and whatever to actually be allowed to live there with his family. Tough time for him.

Obama's banning fire arms? That's going to be a hard thing to resolve reasonably. Although in my opinion I think inside I just didn't want him to win as I am terrified he'll be killed and his family are in danger, other then that (compared to the others) he's the best in my opinion. McCain's just a dirty playing elderly man who likes motorcycles, is a homophobe and likes celebrities catching attention for him. I'm glad Obama won if anyone in genral, I' just worried about him and his family as many really seem to want to kill him most of all American politicans.

There's my view, now I'll stop talking politics as it gets risky with some on this site I've noticed.

those are some of the most racists statements i've ever heard.

color and ethnicity have absolutely nothing to do with
running for the presidential office. the only requirement
to run for office is to be a natural born citizen....bottom line.

Jazz,your statements lead me to believe you are racist.

this topic should have never been started. aren't there
rules about political/religious topics ?

Doz is right, plus if u wanna talk for real when Columbus "discovered the new world" in 1942, what is now called the United States, there were about 1.5 million Native Americans and i think all of them were black, which means originally it's for black people. okay maybe that doesnt make sense lol.
'jazzy hmm i really dont care who runs my country, fk all politicians starting from my president to your president or who ever runs the country . I kinda agree though about the "Chinese person shouldn't run Canada" Chinese people must first go clean the fkin most polluted country whos polluting the earth, save their people from getting cancer and kidney diseases from the rivers that they drink and water their plants from, stop killing endangered animals so that the would eat their sexual organs, stop eating animals that causes new diseases and spread it through out the world, and stop using animals for their stupid ancient medication...(no offence for Chinese people, only the for the ones involved)

fk, now u made me talk about politics, dont u think we shouldnt post political topics on this webdite!! every single day i dont read newspapers, and avoid listening to new on TV or radio and im so tolerant with people when they start talking political sh.it just so they would shut up. i mean i dont know why do u people really care, if u wanna do yourself a favor just to get involved into these stuff cause all of you are blinded with that crap and if u stare into the truth ull find out that you are only victims, but how would i know right.
"In dark moments, I know better,
Within destruction, I see clearly" Inflames - I'm the Highway

Jazz: At no point did I say I was offended, so for you to make an implication about me being uncivilized was a bit unfair, or maybe I misinterpretated that, but either way you didn't need to make that point.

I didn't say I believe that America is a completely free country, I said it's promoted as, and it's debatable. I was using that term to explain how race shouldn't matter in modern America.

I don't see the relevance of the last point, I don't really understand what you're explaining... but as Lance said, ethnicity has nothing to do with it.

However, I don't agree that the topic shouldn't have been started, as Lance believes. It's good to debate, and I'm sure nobody means to insult. And Nightmare, it's a discussion. It's what happens on forums, if you have problems with people discussing big issues and get offended to easily, then maybe you should help yourself and just turn away from this type of topic.

'Doz :S :S :S get offended???? who said that i feel offended, i was just saying my opinion, we shouldnt post political topics . if u want a discussion go ahead i dont mind :S !!

Doz, I wasn't making such an implication. Don't worry. :)

I don't have a problem with people of any culture, nor do my cultured friends, we just all feel we should honour our cultures.

Though, I did actually forget that Canada and America were originally Native Indian. (they weren't black, NM) the only tribe left of them are the Red Indians now, which is a shame. I love that culture so much.

Ok I'll stop my conversation on that and ask...

What's everyone's favourite culture?

Mine would probably be Japanese Samurai, and Native Indians.

There are so many different cultures and Tribes I have yet to learn about. I'll most likely visit each of them to truly understand their living style.

Oh, sorry - I assumed. Why shouldn't we post political topics?