EPTIn the end US policies are what they are not because business buys politicians but because it's what the people who are most active in the political process want.
How do foreigners view US politics? - Page 20
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hypercube
Hungary2735 Posts
In the end US policies are what they are not because business buys politicians but because it's what the people who are most active in the political process want. | ||
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Loanshark
China3094 Posts
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kar1181
United Kingdom515 Posts
On November 04 2010 20:56 vetinari wrote: No. http://www.google.com/publicdata?ds=wb-wdi&ctype=l&strail=false&nselm=h&met_y=sp_pop_grow&scale_y=lin&ind_y=false&rdim=country&idim=country:GBR:AUS:USA&hl=en&dl=en That's in percentage terms. I'm talking in absolute terms, Australia hasn't had 5 million rock up to its shores in the past 5 years which is what has happened in the UK. | ||
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clementdudu
France819 Posts
On November 04 2010 20:26 Velr wrote: http://www.politicalcompass.org/test I once did this test in some other, german dominated, forum. Pure comedy gold for europeans... Nearly everyone was between -5 and -10", not a single person was on the right side, even some pretty right/conservative guys when it comes to a more "european" scale. And you wonder why we bash on the Republicans? It's just a totally diffrent worldview... After answering genuinly every question(that means even though i'm far left,answering what you would say right-winged sometimes)........-7 -7>.< | ||
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TMStarcraft
Australia686 Posts
On November 04 2010 19:59 Velr wrote: Things i think are stupid: The Winner takes it all system... i don't even like coalition systems which most countries run. I think every vote should count for something, you shouldn't just lose if you picked the "wrong" team. The problem is, no voting system can ever truly be fair. Link. On topic, all I really know about American politics is what I hear from Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, which turns out to be not all that much. Entertaining as hell though. On November 04 2010 20:57 Loanshark wrote: I cannot comment on the video because I would need a proxy or VPN to watch it, courtesy of my government. Or an amazon kindle. | ||
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kar1181
United Kingdom515 Posts
I mean I have some views which are on the extremes of both, and many which straddle the middle. But it seems if you are 'right wing' you must hate environmentalism, must believe in god, and think any sort of welfare is evil. And vice versa, if you're a lefty, you must not believe in god, you must believe high taxes and a large state support network is a good idea and all large companies are inherently evil. Clearly this is stupid. Yet the media seems to perpetuate this polarised view of politics. Anyway I did that orientation test mine was Economic Left/Right: -3.12 Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -3.44 So interesting  | ||
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StarBrift
Sweden1761 Posts
Policy differs a lot across the pond but the big thing that swedes have a hard time understanding is that lobbyism seems ok to the people of the united states. Almost like it's a perk of the deregulated free market system there to reward people for rising to the level of elected office. Everyone knows it's going on. Only the most hardcore bible thumping ignorant people would ever deny that it exists. Because even the media doesn't try to deny it. Most politicians try to hide it and it's obviously not money straight in the pocket from the corporations. It grosses me out though when you see that top politicians gets huge deals with big corporations after their time in office is done. I mean you have politicians that try to argue that extending potentially devastating tax cuts for the richest people in the country will somehow benefit the economy. You just need to look at the history to see how stupid that argument is. But top level politicians push that idea so hard right now and the reason is very obvious. They want that million dollar pension and they're fucking the worlds economy up in the meantime. Politics is a dirty buisness and it's never going to be totally fair. But the US dissapoints me as a prodominant western nation that is supposed to lead the way in terms of humanity and choice / free speech and you have a situation where politicians exist only to further their own careers while people can't even get their healthcare covered. | ||
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Bungle
Canada59 Posts
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Vasili
Australia125 Posts
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -3.49  P | ||
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vetinari
Australia602 Posts
On November 04 2010 21:04 kar1181 wrote: That's in percentage terms. I'm talking in absolute terms, Australia hasn't had 5 million rock up to its shores in the past 5 years which is what has happened in the UK. uh, uk population 2000: 58,892,514 uk population 2008: 61,414,062 uk pop growth = 2.52million. aus pop 2000: 1915300 aus pop 2008: 21413800 absolute growth 8 years = 2.26million You vastly exaggerate the difference between australias population growth and the uk's population growth. Yeah, its slightly more, and the UK is a small country but our population growth here is in a grand total of 3 cities. We also had net migration of more than half a million in the past two years and fertility rate above replacement level. oh, and one last fact: population growth, uk, 1960-2008 = 9.04 million, 17% population growth, australia 1960-2008 = 11.16 million, 108% You were saying? http://www.google.com/publicdata?ds=wb-wdi&ctype=l&strail=false&nselm=h&met_y=sp_pop_totl&scale_y=lin&ind_y=false&rdim=country&idim=country:GBR:AUS&tstart=-315619200000&tunit=Y&tlen=48&hl=en&dl=en | ||
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neverlast
Austria62 Posts
But we rather care about non-violent solutions where republicans - are not known for their diplomatic skills. I personally think invading countries because somewhere some terrorits are hiding - is a clear infringement of sovereignty of a country - especially when it is for completely different reason (oil, warfare industry ....) | ||
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Dogsi
Indonesia298 Posts
Currently, the "right" parties are gaining increasing force in European politics to a large enough degree that previously extreme parties are actually becoming more main stream. The only real difference in our politics is our views on economics (namely socialism/taxation). Since the American economy is more successful than the larger European economies, I see no reason why we are "crazy". | ||
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Shockk
Germany2269 Posts
On November 04 2010 21:55 Dogsi wrote: A lot of you Europeans are extremely hypocritical in your posts on this thread. I'd like to quote this. Considering the special demographic featured here on TL (probably 80-90% young males with over-average education and wealth), we probably don't have a lot of far right supporters on the US side and not too many muslim-haters on the european side either. It's very dangerous (again, from both sides) to generalize and say "you Americans" or "you Europeans". If there's one thing a political debate doesn't need then it's judging all participants as if the belong to a homogenous group. | ||
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Kerotan
England2111 Posts
On November 04 2010 21:55 Dogsi wrote: Despite what everyone on here seems to think, Europeans are just as right wing as Americans. There is currently a much stronger "push" against muslims, immigrants, ect. (foreign elements in general) through out all of Europe. Americans outlaw same sex marriage, Europeans outlaw arabic garments and minarets. A lot of you Europeans are extremely hypocritical in your posts on this thread. Currently, the "right" parties are gaining increasing force in European politics to a large enough degree that previously extreme parties are actually becoming more main stream. The only real difference in our politics is our views on economics (namely socialism/taxation). Since the American economy is more successful than the larger European economies, I see no reason why we are "crazy". I'm going to have to call you out on this. "Europe" hasn't done anything like that. yes Switzerland banned minarets and the French banned body covering veils, but that leaves a whole long list of countries that haven't done anything legislatively that would be considered typically right wing. In addition, that leaves you appealing to public feeling/mood in Europe, and to to base the general public mood of a whole area like Europe on a number of loud mouthed extremists, in the same way its ridiculous to do that for the states. So to a certain extent, yes public opinion informs politics, and politics informs public opinion, but to investigate the political spectrum through perception of public opinion looking across from either side of the pond is a nonsense. On the basis of legislation passed, I think that its undeniable to suggest that America is more to right that the EU, (Don't ask don't tell, healthcare, gay marriage) but it is up to you to make the value judgement. | ||
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Electric.Jesus
Germany755 Posts
Economic Left/Right: -7.12 Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -7.95 I knew I was a left-libertarian ut I had no idea about the extent. Also nice to see that I am in the company of Ghandi and the Dalai Lama which I consider to be admirable people. Back on topic. What I find most distreessing is the way politica depabtes are held in the US. NO ONE talks about facts anymore. From the republicans you can always hear the same sermon. "bla bla bla...democrats are communists...bla, bla, terrorists will kill us all...bla bla bla, lower taxes...bla bla bla...god loves us (and only us)...bla bla bla...politically left = elitist...homosexuality is a devil-induced sickness and must be cured (and, btw, lets go see some lesbian dancers)." The democrats counter with their own sermon: "bla bla bla...intolerant bastards...bla bla bla...crazy nutjobs...bla bla bla...theocrats...bla bla bla all republicans are lobbyists". Whenever anyone from wither side hears an argument that is not 100% in line with their own personal view, the other person is an idiot who fell for biased infromation. That killer-argument is even raised by the smart people in this thread (you dislike the conservatives in the US? - poor ignorant EU elitist who is mislead by biased media - sure!). What is so maddining about it is that this way of public debate turns politics from a debate about political issues and solutions into an irrational debate about taste or ideologies. Every side can get their own "fatcs and media support" and in the end its like two small children argueing about who has the cooler imaginary friend. In that system people do not get elected because of the right ideas for existing problems but based on who gets to be liked the most based on perceived similarity of personal taste. Even worse: that trend is beginning to spill over to other countires. Our politicians in Germany are already starting to copy that crap. Long time since I heard a politican actually answer a question on the point. | ||
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clementdudu
France819 Posts
On November 04 2010 21:55 Dogsi wrote: Despite what everyone on here seems to think, Europeans are just as right wing as Americans. There is currently a much stronger "push" against muslims, immigrants, ect. (foreign elements in general) through out all of Europe. Americans outlaw same sex marriage, Europeans outlaw arabic garments and minarets. A lot of you Europeans are extremely hypocritical in your posts on this thread. Currently, the "right" parties are gaining increasing force in European politics to a large enough degree that previously extreme parties are actually becoming more main stream. The only real difference in our politics is our views on economics (namely socialism/taxation). Since the American economy is more successful than the larger European economies, I see no reason why we are "crazy". And if you knew anything about french politics,you'd know that the ban on burqas is not an anti-muslim act at all. Modern-day France is VERY anti-religious. Christians are asked to remove crosses from their neck everyday in schools if it's too big and might *offend* someone. French people just feel that burqas are an abuse on woman,and that every french citizen should be immediatly recognizable by police.(France just banned masks in demonstrations for that very reason) | ||
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Dogsi
Indonesia298 Posts
On November 04 2010 23:14 clementdudu wrote: And if you knew anything about french politics,you'd know that the ban on burqas is not an anti-muslim act at all. Modern-day France is VERY anti-religious. Christians are asked to remove crosses from their neck everyday in schools if it's too big and might *offend* someone. French people just feel that burqas are an abuse on woman,and that every french citizen should be immediatly recognizable by police.(France just banned masks in demonstrations for that very reason) You are restricting the willing actions of others based on personal views. Regardless of my personal opinion on that action, it qualifies as right. In another country, a politician who publishes multitude of anti-islamic works (videos, books, ect.) now leads a controlling party in a European country. In another country, minarets are banned. In another country, the highest ranked government official states that immigrants need to adapt christian and local culture. Ect. | ||
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clementdudu
France819 Posts
On November 05 2010 00:04 Dogsi wrote: You are restricting the willing actions of others based on personal views. Regardless of my personal opinion on that action, it qualifies as right. In another country, a politician who publishes multitude of anti-islamic works (videos, books, ect.) now leads a controlling party in a European country. In another country, minarets are banned. In another country, the highest ranked government official states that immigrants need to adapt christian and local culture. Ect. Hum we restrict others actions absed on french law o_O In France you must be recognizable at any moment by the police when you're in the street.That's the law,not some kind of anti-liberty fascism thingy. Of course when you see that France banned burqa from outside,you think directly about religious freedom.Btw extremists in france think thats an anti-muslim law,it's just not. Sarkozy is probably the worst president in France since WWII,but if theres one thing you cannot accuse him of,thats being anti-muslim. | ||
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Vasili
Australia125 Posts
Although, I'll say that I believe all politicians (left or right) are a pack of liars who can't give truthful information because it might damage their image. | ||
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Monsen
Germany2548 Posts
On November 05 2010 00:04 Dogsi wrote: You are restricting the willing actions of others based on personal views. Regardless of my personal opinion on that action, it qualifies as right. In another country, a politician who publishes multitude of anti-islamic works (videos, books, ect.) now leads a controlling party in a European country. In another country, minarets are banned. In another country, the highest ranked government official states that immigrants need to adapt christian and local culture. Ect. Troll much ? Restricting the actions of "others" based on "personal views". "Others" being people that want the citizenship of each country in question ? And they're required to behave according to the laws and customs of said countries? Outrageous ! And "personal views" as in the laws of an entire country + the customs and values said country holds dear ? I think you're killing babies for fun on a regular basis, with "killing babies" meaning eat bread, "fun" meaning hunger and "regular basis" meaning additional pylons. | ||
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