Thread: Obama won re election

Originally Posted by Bruno

Yes, well... the prime minister of Belgium doesn't really have a big influence on your life.
The president of the US does have a rather big (albeit indirect) influence on mine.

Ahhhhh so you are trying to better your life, through changing mine,, interesting concept you all have there...

I would like to see your prime minister along with several others address the Radical Islamic Invasion of the EU as that could have future repercusions on me.. But

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Please don't take this the wrong way

It does amaze me that so many of you guys that are not Americans are so involved and concerned with our politics, and our way of life, so much so that you are offering your opinions...

Honestly I couldn't tell most of you who your leaders are, what their stances are, what your Health systems are, or Tax systems are or Welfare systems, and better yet I don't really care, unless I lived there, it really isn't my business...

Thanks a lot Glen - I had vowed not to throw my hat into this thread...

I think there are a lot of reasons for this. Personally, I am fascinated by politics and culture in general, and so I take a great interest in elections and the issues they throw up around the world. (BTW, anyone paying attention to the changes happening in China these days? That transfer of power could have HUGE implications for most of us) Add to that the fact that the USA is a nation whose economy, foreign policy, and trade decisions can have an impact on virtually everyone in the world, and you start to have even more reason to pay attention. And for folks living in countries who are as closely tied to yours as mine is, there is even more incentive to pay attention.

Also, as I've said before somewhere here, I am fascinated by the way that your culture and society and my culture and society can be so similar in many ways and so utterly different in others.

Oh, and you have a wonderfully wacky electoral system that baffles and entertains people around the world. (and I mean that with affection and a sense of humour - our electoral system has its own flaws so I'm not just throwing rocks in a glass house here).

Political discussions....

Shall we bring up religion while we are at it?

Have since day!

Originally Posted by Cangooner

Thanks a lot Glen - I had vowed not to throw my hat into this thread...

I think there are a lot of reasons for this. Personally, I am fascinated by politics and culture in general, and so I take a great interest in elections and the issues they throw up around the world. (BTW, anyone paying attention to the changes happening in China these days? That transfer of power could have HUGE implications for most of us) Add to that the fact that the USA is a nation whose economy, foreign policy, and trade decisions can have an impact on virtually everyone in the world, and you start to have even more reason to pay attention. And for folks living in countries who are as closely tied to yours as mine is, there is even more incentive to pay attention.

Also, as I've said before somewhere here, I am fascinated by the way that your culture and society and my culture and society can be so similar in many ways and so utterly different in others.

Oh, and you have a wonderfully wacky electoral system that baffles and entertains people around the world. (and I mean that with affection and a sense of humour - our electoral system has its own flaws so I'm not just throwing rocks in a glass house here).

I was fascinated by the fact the Canada finally got rid of the Anchor Baby doctrine some years back and couldn't believe that the US was left as the only country in the would that still has it now... Wonder what the political landscape would look like today in the US if we had followed suit at the same time ...

Originally Posted by unit

Political discussions....

Shall we bring up religion while we are at it?

Have since day!

Already did, look up post #191

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Please don't take this the wrong way

It does amaze me that so many of you guys that are not Americans are so involved and concerned with our politics, and our way of life, so much so that you are offering your opinions...

Honestly I couldn't tell most of you who your leaders are, what their stances are, what your Health systems are, or Tax systems are or Welfare systems, and better yet I don't really care, unless I lived there, it really isn't my business...

And that pattern of thought is exactly why we see soo many video's on the internet where americans can't point out any other countries on the map......

Some might say Ignorance is Bliss. But I have friends, acquaintances and people I do buisiness with living in the states. So I follow along on what happens there.

Aside from that I'm (coincidentally) a U.S. citizen although the fact that I don't live or pay taxes in the states makes it so that I don't vote myself. (I know I can...I just don't feel I should)

Other than that I don't tell anyone what to think when it comes to the political. I enjoy hearing what other people think though. And if asked I'll happily share my thoughts on the matter.

But why wouldn't you be interested in what happens somewhere else? I know I enjoy hearing about what goes on everywhere...and if I had time and energy I'd love to keep up to date on everything.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Already did, look up post #191

OK, it was pretty minor, but I will give it a pass.

Now, when shall we start bringing family into it (i.e. start insulting mothers and sisters)?

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Please don't take this the wrong way

It does amaze me that so many of you guys that are not Americans are so involved and concerned with our politics, and our way of life, so much so that you are offering your opinions...

Honestly I couldn't tell most of you who your leaders are, what their stances are, what your Health systems are, or Tax systems are or Welfare systems, and better yet I don't really care, unless I lived there, it really isn't my business...

Ive only become so interested because for the last few months that is all that has been on the news channels and in the newspapers in the UK. Its been huge over here. I cant remember it being as big as this 4 years ago

Originally Posted by unit

OK, it was pretty minor, but I will give it a pass.

Now, when shall we start bringing family into it (i.e. start insulting mothers and sisters)?

One of the boards I read is a bash board, where anything goes. Except bringing other peoples families into it, that'll you your posts deleted and username banned. I'm all for bashing anyone, and I know you were engaging in some piss taking by mentioning it, but I think the bash forum draws the line at the right place.

Originally Posted by LX_Emergency

And that pattern of thought is exactly why we see soo many video's on the internet where americans can't point out any other countries on the map......

Some might say Ignorance is Bliss. But why wouldn't you be interested in what happens somewhere else? I know I enjoy hearing about what goes on everywhere...and if I had time and energy I'd love to keep up to date on everything.

Please don't confuse Ignorance, with Not wanting to butt in (Although most Americans do) I would never presume to actually understand the real on the ground problems in another country, without actually living there...
What I read, and what you live with, I am sure a miles apart in truth whether good or bad..

I can pull stats in an instant to defend any posistion, but unless I have first hand knowledge I really don't know the truth...
Even here in the US the media is the driving force behind the common man's knowledge base, I can pull multiple Vids from either side of our political fence showing the stupidity of our own voters, let alone trying to see the issues of another country...
I actually thought that the fact that Obama had grown up in different cultures (much like I did, close to the same time) would have given him a better understanding of what really was going on in the world, but that is not what I am seeing in his politics..

BTW you will not get an arguement from me as to the lack of world knowledge taught in American schools yet we spend more money per student then any country in the world for public education some kind of disconnect there between input and output maybe we should vote on that too here ... Oh wait we do vote on that

Welcome to the newest form of US government the Idiocracy, we will know when it reaches critical mass, as the borders will flow the other direction


(reminds me of a discussion on Guns some time back where I pulled actual crime stats on many EU countries to hear "Yes but those are not really true" basically you have to see to believe)