USA Elections Whole New Ballgame

[Mtnjim]

Our

election isn't really any of their business and opinions of who we should elect are out of line.

This

may have been true in the 19th century, but today who we elect as President effects the whole world. Just

look at Afganistan and Iraq.

[belgareth]

It may effect the whole world

but it still does not matter what any other part of the world wants. We are free to vote as we wish and their

opinions do not matter. By the same token we do not have the right to tell others who to vote for. Perhaps if

countries would get their noses out of other country's internal matters we all would be better off. I think so.

[Holmes]

This was an opinion poll,

was it not? I'm not sure that anyone's telling us who we can elect.

Just as I can express my

opinions about Putin, Tony Blair, or Benito Mussolini, so too can our neighbors express how they feel about the

stupid things we're up to.

Weird, though, because last I heard, Obama was disliked - quite strongly in

places - overseas. I guess they hate the McCain/Palin tagteam just that vehemently. And I can't say I blame

them. In general, between Palin and Obama (and especially after 8 years of a mental midget playing War Games with

the rest of the world), we deserve every bit of the mirth and distain that comes our way.

[belgareth]

You'll notice that I have not

once expressed an opinion about a leader of another country. Same as I don't express opinions about how others run

their own homes. It isn't my business with very few exceptions.

[idesign]

Courting international opinion

is like having too many mistresses, with the same result.

[belgareth]

It's like anything else. You

should do what you believe is right regardless of what others believe or do. A good example were the French. When

they wouldn't go to war for whatever reasons they were ridiculed here in this country. Now we have decided that the

war the French didn't want to participate in is a bad war the French are laughing at us. The honest and honorable

thing to do would be for all those who ridiculed the French and now whine about the war to publicly apologize. I'm

sure there has been a huge public stampede to do exactly that but for some reason I've missed it in the news.



The point is that self honesty is missing when you base your decisions on what others want or believe. Our

elections are meant to select leaders that will work for the citizens of the US regardless of what corporations or

other nations want them to do.

As a side note, I'm very amused to note two contraditions the Obama campaign has

created. How is an inexperienced senator a good presidential choice but a somewhat more experienced govornor a too

inexperienced choice for VP? And, with all the claims of how the Republicans are for big business, how do they

justify claiming the current administration is letting down the little guy by not stopping Lehman from failing?

Lehman is the big guy, the evil corporate giant!

Lastly, it is easy to call names but of all the ones calling

leaders names, I see nothing towards constructive criticism. I challenge any one of those calling names to show a

workable alternative to what was done. In the past I criticized Clinton and Bush on various issues but I also

commended both of them on other things because I try to stay objective and rational while staying away from

childishness. I've never agreed with any leader on everything and I am very opposed to certain things that some

stand for. But, when credit is due I give it. The failure of so many to do the same thing is a sad statement on this

nation and the people in it.

In my opinion, addressing issues and policies and the impact they will have for

the long and short term of this country is the best approach. Name calling, lies and mudslinging by both major

parties and their adherents is both reprehensible and disgusting. We can do better than that!

[idesign]

The

point is that self honesty is missing when you base your decisions on what others want or believe. Our elections are

meant to select leaders that will work for the citizens of the US regardless of what corporations or other nations

want them to do.

Yes, that's the entire point in my view.

I think its true whether

you're talking about how a politician handles his/her decisions personally, or the reasoning behind their policy

decisions as leader of this country.

The interests of the US as a nation will never perfectly align

with those of any other country, its always been so. Now, we do some pretty idiotic things at times (thank you

Holmes), but the balance of the equation would be what "world opinion" would be if we withdrew

completely from our engagement in the world.