This is not intended to be political as such. I just think the people of the U.S.A. should be congratulated on choosing the first black President. That will show the world that America is a different country to what many of them thought,
Joanne
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Seconded
As someone who will be likely affected by the way citizens of the USA voted but having no say myself I've been following the twists and turns of the election with some interest. Suffice to say, I'm happy with the result even though life experiences tell me that the chances of Obama living up to the hype are slim. We had the Blair effect in 1997 and look how that's panned out :) Still, I'm desperate to be proved wrong.
One or two non-partisan points that perhaps someone can help me with:
1: The red/blue thing is really confusing. Just about everywhere else red is left-leaning.
2: In the 50 years I've been eligible to vote (and I always do) I've never had to queue even when we've had a good turn-out. I'm amazed that there are insufficient polling stations to make a long wait unnecessary in the US. It must take a lot of determination for someone who has to work long hours to find the time. Perhaps long waits aren't the norm and the media only show the long lines for dramatic effect. I'm not sure I would be quite so keen to spend hours waiting - I'll often forego a pleasure if I have to queue. The fact that so many did is a credit to them.
3: I'm just glad our elections can be over from start to finish in as few as 3 weeks. For a country that like things to happen quickly (look what's happened to cricket recently when a wealthy Yank got involved :) ) it's seems you love to elect at leisure. Don't you think spending 2 years out of 4 campaigning is a little excessive and detracts from the business of government? It was exciting this time but that's a bit of an exception.
Geoff
americans understand cricket?
geoff, where on earth did the uk find an american who understood cricket, let alone get involved in it? i am baffled.
as for the rest, well, i thought the british were the experts at queuing? ;)
anyway, awesome day. i cried at the acceptance speech. i was even impressed by the concession speech.
ps - i know i owe you an email. i am slack. will respond soon.
not as think as i smart i am
non-partisan points
1) the americans love everything to be Red White and Blue. I'm guessing one of the parties chose a colour and the other through white was not very attractive on posters. The colours kinda stuck.
2) I live in canada. In larger centers we have to queue to vote. But since our ballot only has 3 to 10 candidates on it and you only have to chose one and inside voting location there are many polling stations... the line moves very quickly. In the US, they have many more items on their ballots. They are not only voting for president... they are voting for the Senate and local and state "proposition" (in canada we say referendum) items for things that require a measure of public opinion. So its not unusual for people to take 10 minutes or more while they load their ballot vote, adjust their ballot vote again, repeat several times. Electronic voting is in the future... but technically phobic illiterate people have a harder time with the computers than the complicated paper ballots.
IIRC: The americans have elections every two years... Govenors, and Congress "house representitives", are elected on the non-presidential voting years. These don't take 2 years... but it probably seems that long.
Non-partisan colors
1. See my comments on Geoff's thread re the colors.
2. Electronic voting is problematic because no one has yet designed an acceptable system that can't be defrauded. Paper ballots are safer. Cranky and misused electronic machines probably affected elections in 1998, 2000, 2002 and 2004. Now we're sort of leery of them.
3. Believe it or not, most Americans can vote on something every six months or so. :) Elections for Congress are held every two years with at least 1/3 of Senators and all Representatives (lower house) standing for election. Each state makes it's own rules for Governors and state legislatures and other such offices. Odd-numbered years are often used for local elections. Primaries, run-offs, recalls and special elections help fill up the rest of the calendar. :)
Hugs,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
Red and Blue Lines Moving Fast
1. Back when Red could have been seen as derogatory to an American political party, the broadcast networks used whatever color they wanted whichever way, and in fact, red was usually Democrat and blue Republican. Red and blue were used not just because of the flag but because they made a good contrast on TV and in print. Red and green would be eye-popping and Christmassy, green and blue would not have enough contrast. Yellow didn't print well and didn't show up well on TV, either. White was used for undecided.
One network came up with a complex scheme to rotate red and blue between the parties. If a sitting president was running, that candidate would keep the same color as when elected the first time. Otherwise, the incumbent party would get the opposite color to what the incumbents had the last time it changed.
Carter had red in 76, so had red in 80 which made Reagan and the Republicans blue and they that stayed that way in 84. In 88, G.H.W. Bush got red and the Democrats had blue and it stayed that way in 92 and 96 while the other networks and the New York Times adopted the same scheme. Come 2000, the arrangement had become permanent, at least for television maps and then redstate and bluestate as short hand terms entered the language. By the old swapping algorithm, it should have changed this time, but now it's too late after twenty years with the same associations.
2. The lack of sufficient polling places for everyone to vote quickly is due to old techniques of vote suppression practiced by whichever party was in power in a particular place at a particular time. It is actually slowly getting better, it's just that turnout was comparatively huge this time.
3. The long run-up to an election is due to the structure of the US as a two-party system Republic with each state making its own rules and competing with other states for national attention by staging earlier and earlier contests. There is no solution to this in sight.
Note that the most trivial issue required the longest explanation. :)
Hugs,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
Geoff Long Lines
I live an affluent suburb. Yesterday we had a record turnout at our polls, but I, like every other voter in my precinct didn't have to stand in any lines. If you live right -- have $$$ -- things just seem to happen right for you. Go figure.
I was extremely impressed by both speeches last night. I was a staunch McCain backer in 2000 and eventually voted for Bush. I voted for Obama yesterday. I could have been happy either way the election went, but was extremely pleased by how it turned out.
Sarah Palin has a lot of ideas that she isn't quite polished enough to hide. She didn't bother me as much as she did some.
Over the years I've enjoyed listening to joe Biden because he is so unpredictable. Some might not want to admit it, but he is a lot like Sarah.
Angela Rasch (Jill M I)
Angela Rasch (Jill M I)
Not political, hah!
I'm sorry, but that can't help but be seen as political. I hope Erin continues to keep politics off this website.
KJT
"Being a girl is wonderful and to torture someone into that would be like the exact opposite of what it's like. I don’t know how anyone could act that way." College Girl - poetheather
“When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn’t become a king. The palace becomes a circus.” - Turkish Proverb
Everything is political to an extent
I've allowed politics here in the past, as blogs, but banned pretty much all political content in the run up to the election for too high a tendency to inflame. I'm going back to the old policy for a trial, watching individual threads and blogs for spark points. Let's all be civil, please.
After a rather nasty campaign (let's be fair, mud was thrown on both sides), both winners and losers last night were gracious and considerate to each other. I hope that spirit continues. I doubt it, but allowing civil discussion of peripheral political matters is my expression of that hope.
Hugs,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
Sorry, but I disagree
One should NOT be vote in because of his whatever.
He should have be voted in on his abilities to help this country.
Hugs, Fran
Hugs, Fran
Thanks, but ...
This still isn't the site for political discussions but I want to say something.
We Americans understand that the real hurdle was getting a minority candidate onto a major party ticket. After that, anything at least close should have proved the point. Thanks for the thought but it is really more complicated and less complicated than anyone who hasn't really lived in it AND studied it can understand.
Then again, four states, including my own seem to have passed laws by popular vote to restrict the rights of another minority. So, we're not so enlightened as the presidential election may make us look to outsiders. In fact, the votes of socially reactionary Obama supporters helped push those restrictions into passage.
I will watch thisblog carefully to be sure that it does not get out of hand.
Hugs,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
just an observation
The UK has become so disillusioned with politicians - possibly because a good 75% of news output is devoted to politics (and the balance soccer) - it was refreshing to see what appeared to be a groundswell of interest in the US to back the president-elect.
It's also been entertaining to hear him described as a Marxist - I am a Marxist, albeit a Gramsci-loving former eurocommunist, now leaning towards neo-Marxian theory but with nationalist skeletons in my closet, and I'm pretty sure there's no chance of hearing anyone sing 'arise ye workers from your slumber' in the Oval Office :)
The election of a minority president was a great symbol
I watched the election night on BBC online and CNN online last night and it was quite interesting to watch.
I never really understood the US election process. Now I still do not understand why it is that way but I think I got how it is supposed to work. It seems strange to me that such a relatively small difference in votes can translate to such a difference in the electional votes. Its also strange how (from my German point of view) there seems to be only right and more right wing. The other parties like green and left leaning or left are virtually invisible.
Since this results in just two opposing main parties it seems to naturally lead to a politic of conflicts and confrontation.
In Germany this is limited a bit since usually no party reaches 50% so has to form a permanent (till the next election) coalition with one of the smaller parties. Personally I still think this is far from perfect. It would be better if the parties would need to find new compromise and new coalitions for each issue. On the other hand that would make politics very slow.
But back to the topic of this thread.
I watched part of the campaigning. I tried to get a picture of both candidates even though I naturally do feel drawn to the democrats out of the two main parties in the US.
http://www.iftheworldcouldvote.com/results shows I am in very good company there in the world.
McCain seemed to back wards and stiff in his believes to me. From what I saw he also did attack Obama on a more personal level than vise versa. Still he was very fair for what I expected from an Republican.
Then last night Obama was elected the 44th president of the USA.
I saw the speech by McCain and realized I had not given him enough credit. He is a great, honest and honorable man who has recognized what needs to change. He too would have made a good president I guess.
Still I'm very happy Obama won. For me he is the better candidate at the time.
He is a symbol that America can change and not stay put in its old antiquated ways.
Obama will not be an easy partner either in World as I think all leaders in the World are well aware. I heard a few say so here in Germany. But I have the feeling he is willing to listen ond look for a compromize first. That compromize will not be a gift in most cases.
But just the fact that he could make it to president gives him a big bonus in negotiations.
He is willing to listen and others will be more willing to listen to him.
We will have to see how long that bonus lasts.
But it will still be a symbol to all the world that you can get any where if you want and work for it. That no matter where you come from you have the right and ablity to make it anywhere. That he has so much charisma and has such a talent for inspiring speeches is a bonus.
Now I hope he will be able to put at least some of his words in to actions and results.
I also hope the Republicans will heard McCain and support the change. I hope they will see that a change is possible without them giving up their own identity.
However the election also showed America will still have a lot of work ahead to be more open, accepting and tolerating inside. The ban on gay marriages went through in all states where this was asked as far as I know. It came as a surprise to me that this was even the case in California that often presents itself as so open minded.
Then again. I am not sure how such a question would be answered by the German voters.
I think it would be more positive but I'm not certain.
All in all was it a very inspiring night that.
I hope America can keep a bit of that spirit.
Thanks to all Americans who made this possible.
hugs
Holly
Friendship is like glass,
once broken it can be mented,
but there will always be a crack.
I thought I would feel old
when the day came that we got a president who was younger than me.
Oddly though I don't. I feel reenergized! In the words of Harry Nilsson
I'm beginning to think there's hope for the human race.
~~~hugs, Laika
(Here's me and some friends bidding the current administration farewell:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7OQwGr-5wI )
Well shit, I guess it really CAN happen here..,
.
Hah !
Unfortunately it only took the country being hit my a metaphorical economic 2 by 4 to get this landslide to happen. Also, it was a no-brainer to replace a no-brainer :).'
Besides, I am sooooo thankful to the omnipresence that Sarah Palin ( aka Miz Pom Pom :) ) is not one myocardial infarction away from having access to nuclear weapons to hunt moose :).
Kim
Thank you...
for the congratulations, but now the real work begins. He has to choose a cabinet, and then he has to be briefed on the things he will be working on, and a few others. There is one big thing he will have, and that is Iraq and Afghanistan. Will he continue to go after Bin Laden, or will he as commander in chief bring our forces home? What kind of foreign policy will he adopt? Will he be helpful to our nation or a hinderance? These are only a few questions that he will have to answer. The easy part is over, now the real work begins.
And one thing I don't care about is the color of the skin. That has nothing to do with his abilities. I also don't care if the President-elect is gay, transgendered, bi, or even a cross=dresser, or even intersexed, as long as the person elected can do the job that is required. As I said in another blog, I am very proud to live where the stars and stripes and the eagle fly. "Yes we can" has become a household phrase almost over night. Now we will see just how he does his job, because this presidency unlike any other, will be watched very closely for the next 4 years.
Thank you for letting me ramble, but it is good to be an American today.
Be strong, because it is in our strength that we can heal.
Love & Hugs,
Barbara
"With confidence and forbearance, we will have the strength to move forward."
Love & hugs,
Barbara
"If I have to be this girl in me, Then I have the right to be."