Thread: McCain frightens me!!!

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

What country are you talking about? Can't be the U.S. Longterm thinking and either politics or business are mutually exclusive traits not to be found in this country anymore. Its all about short term rewards, gratification, profits. Let the next generation worry about it.

That's only funny because it seems to be true.

It saddens me that a country that thinks of itself so highly (ie the greates nation on earth, God's land etc) presents itself so poorly to others. There indeed WAS a time when America was looked up to by most of the world. At least in my surrounding that doesn't seem to be true anymore.

We've recently had a lot of grumbling in our own country because of economic measures and such. Taxes higher, cars more expensive and other such things. Thing is though....the Nationwide economic (and I'll agree it's not very big because we're a small country) has grown a lot.

But what saddens me most is that out of all the characteristics that we get about the different candidates in the Us is that:

1 is a woman
1 is black
1 is a mormon
and 1 is a Vietnam veteran.


I sure hope that's not what the american people vote like.......but I'm affraid that they do.

Originally Posted by LX_Emergency

I sure hope that's not what the american people vote like.......but I'm afraid that they do.

There was an article on CNN a few days ago about how this was a unique election, because for the first time female african-american voters had to decide whether to vote for their race or their sex.

The article has since been pulled after several complaints that it was racist and sexist. But sadly that is how many people vote. My aunt, whom I consider a well thought person, said there was no way she could vote for someone who was a mormon.

Originally Posted by LX_Emergency

But what saddens me most is that out of all the characteristics that we get about the different candidates in the Us is that:

1 is a woman
1 is black
1 is a mormon
and 1 is a Vietnam veteran.

I think that is just the media acknowledging the fact that most people have these prejudices inside them and whether they acknowledge them or not they are decisive factors. Yes, US has never had a woman president, neither a black one, neither a nonchristian one. I seem to recall JFK's Catolicism was thought of as a possible liability.

And I'm sure you know that the US society is quite conservative by European standards. It's got a lot more racist, sexist, and religious issues than Europe.
But if you remember the immigrant Muslim minister in Europe was a big issue too. I don't think US will be ready for a muslim president for at least another generation or two.

I sure hope that's not what the american people vote like.......but I'm affraid that they do.

I think most people do - you'll notice how often 'trust' and 'scare' has been mentioned in this thread - people evaluate the candidates with their brain, but then they rely on 'gut feeling' to make up their mind before casting a vote.
I have often voted for people I don't like because I thought that they will actually be the better choice. I'm trying to make as rational decisions as possible, but I don't think I can ignore emotions.

A lot of the politicising is just that - figuring out a way to appeal to people's emotions so that they are made to be scared or not trust somebody. I find this thinking in US that the government is always looking to take something from me and should never be trusted a bit odd.
I've been thinking that it's just a normal symptom of a federacy - other federations seem to also have more issues with the central government than the local ones, regardless of their respective performance.

But yeah to get back on topic, the arguments revolve around the role of the government. I think it's better for a country to 'tax and spend' on things like infrastructure, health care and education of the citizens, than 'tax and spend' on waging expensive and purposeless wars or even worse 'borrow and spend' and let somebody else worry about the payback.

Originally Posted by gugi

I think that is just the media acknowledging the fact that most people have these prejudices inside them and whether they acknowledge them or not they are decisive factors. Yes, US has never had a woman president, neither a black one, neither a nonchristian one. I seem to recall JFK's Catolicism was thought of as a possible liability.

And I'm sure you know that the US society is quite conservative by European standards. It's got a lot more racist, sexist, and religious issues than Europe.
But if you remember the immigrant Muslim minister in Europe was a big issue too. I don't think US will be ready for a muslim president for at least another generation or two.


I think most people do - you'll notice how often 'trust' and 'scare' has been mentioned in this thread - people evaluate the candidates with their brain, but then they rely on 'gut feeling' to make up their mind before casting a vote.
I have often voted for people I don't like because I thought that they will actually be the better choice. I'm trying to make as rational decisions as possible, but I don't think I can ignore emotions.

Actually...the big stink wasn't about that she was a muslim immigrant.....the big stink was that she lied to get into the country and WASN"T a muslim anymore. In fact the was the biggest anti muslim that could be found.


But I agree with what you're saying. That that IS one of the major factors that people let themselves be influenced by.

It's not a big thing here though. In fact.....I don't know about ANY of my government's religious orientations. (Apart from those that are in a Christian Party like the SGP (Sociale Gristelijke Partij).

Originally Posted by Nickelking

There was an article on CNN a few days ago about how this was a unique election, because for the first time female african-american voters had to decide whether to vote for their race or their sex.

The article has since been pulled after several complaints that it was racist and sexist. But sadly that is how many people vote. My aunt, whom I consider a well thought person, said there was no way she could vote for someone who was a mormon.

I've heard that before.....mostly fro people that don't know any mormons......


(I'm Mormon bytheway although that in no way means I automatically like Romney....I just don't know enough about the guy.)

Yeah, I'm not in Europe, so I just had a vague memory about that lady. But in my opinion Germany will have Ethnic turk for a chancelor long before US has ethnic mexican president

Romney is a successful businessman who's turned into politics and he seems to be treating it the same way he'd do a business. Figure out what is going to get him elected and do that. So I'm not sure he has any specific policies he wants to see implemented. He has enough business experience to know that it's impossible (even politically) to do most of the stuff people believe he may be doing. He's very careful to state things in a way that people will automatically infer something, without actually saying it. That's a very smart business practice - as he can never be held accountable to any firm commitments might make. You may even notice how he dresses up his past - there's some remotely related kernel of truth, which is then spun completely out of control to make it the most appealing thing a person would like to hear.
Yes, he may be good for the country but at least for me it's impossible to tell what he stands for. He'll tell anything to anybody, like most politicians. I think he's just looking to make a name for himself and leave a legacy of achieving the most powerful position in the world. Not sure what else drives him, but I doubt it's a deep care for others.

Hard to say huh...don't know. Don't know the man. I'll reserve any opnions for if I ever meet him kind of thing.

Originally Posted by jaegerhund

I'm one who respects McCain greatly for his military service and what he endured as a POW. What I don't like is when such things carry someone through an election. What I mean is sometimes people are almost deemed untouchable or not-questionable --- every time McCain is confronted --people say "yes but remember he was a POW and a war hero". As great as this was , it is what he stands for now ---- the man he is now --- his policies now -- that is important.

Personally, I want to like McCain because I know his history but I try to force myself beyond it. I like mavericks but I'm trying to force myself beyond this as well. I think the media likes him because he's their type of conservative --- just like Huckabee (sounds like someone you meet at the fishing hole) was their darling not too long ago --- compassionate conservatives so compassionate that they might as well be liberals and democrats. But I'm not sure if I trust him or not.


Justin

Well put Justin. I was instilled with a respect for the military at a young age (which sadly goes counter to the rest of the locals here) and that would be one of the things that I'd fall to as well. I can't give more input, though. This is the first race in my short existance that I haven't kept too close a watch on.

Scared but not surprised. A woman who believes or ignores all the BS hubbie Bill told her and the world about himself and Lewinski has lost the power to surprise me. Even scarier is that she needs old Bill to get her into the White House. Scariest of all: that puts him in the White House again! Which should scare Hillary: all those young attractive interns within Bill's reach. Watching Bill will leave her with little time to run the country!

Originally Posted by jockeys

I'll tell you what scares me:

A LITTLE HISTORY QUIZ
It's just a short one, only 6 questions.If you don't know the answer
make your best guess. You don't need paper or anything. Answer all the
questions before looking at the answers.

Who said it?

1) "We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common
good."
A . Karl Marx
B. Adolph Hitler
C. Joseph Stalin
D. None of the above

2) "It's time for a new beginning, for an end to government of the
few, by the few, and for the few...and to replace it with shared
responsibility for shared prosperity."
A. Lenin
B. Mussolini
C. Idi Amin
D. None of the Above

3) "(We)...can't just let business as usual go on, and that means
something has to be taken away from some people."
A. Nikita Khrushev
B. Josef Goebbels
C. Boris Yeltsin
D. None of the above

4) "We have to build a political consensus and that requires people to
give up a little bit of their own...in order to create this common
ground."
A. Mao Tse Dong
B. Hugo Chavez
C. Kim Jong Il
D. None of the above

5) "I certainly think the free-market has failed."
A.Karl Marx
B. Lenin
C. Molotov
D. None of the above

6) "I think it's time to send a clear message to what has become the
most profitable sector in (the) entire economy that they are being watched."
A. Pinochet
B. Milosevic
C.Saddam Hussein
D. None of the above

Answers:
(1) D. None of the above. Statement was made by Hillary Clinton
6/29/2004
(2) D. None of the above. Statement was made by Hillary Clinton
5/29/2007
(3) D. None of the above. Statement was made by Hillary Clinton
6/4/2007
(4) D. None of the above. Statement was made by Hillary Clinton
6/4/2007
(5) D. None of the above. Statement was made by Hillary Clinton
6/4/2007
(6 ) D. None of the above. Statement was made by Hillary Clinton
9/2/2005


You scared yet?

One being a mormon, how many are moron?

Originally Posted by LX_Emergency

But what saddens me most is that out of all the characteristics that we get about the different candidates in the Us is that:

1 is a woman
1 is black
1 is a mormon
and 1 is a Vietnam veteran.


I sure hope that's not what the american people vote like.......but I'm affraid that they do.