EPTHow do foreigners view US politics? - Page 9
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Slakter
Sweden1947 Posts
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domovoi
United States1478 Posts
I know of no other country with a 2 party system (not even gonna mention the whole corporate/money problem lol democracy). Taiwan, Japan (more like a one-party system amirite), Korea, the UK until recently, Canada if you don't count the crazy Frenchies... | ||
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jello_biafra
United Kingdom6638 Posts
On November 04 2010 08:05 andrewlt wrote: As an ethnic Chinese who immigrated from the Philippines to the US, I'm going to tell you this. 20 kids representing 16 different Western European nationalities is a lot less diverse than 1 white American and 1 Japanese guy. The difference between a French and a German is like the difference between a Californian and a Texan. When the US talks about immigrants, it is not immigrants from Canada or Western Europe that dominate the discussion. It is about immigrants that are sufficiently different culturally. I doubt he just meant people from other European countries, there are lots of people from India/China/Africa etc. in Western Europe. | ||
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Vile Animus
United States34 Posts
On November 04 2010 08:01 Jameser wrote: I didn't mean to say that christine o'donnell represents the republican party in any way, but there is record of both current and past republican senates who say intelligent design is just as valid as evolution, which is 10x worse than campaigning against masturbation, and more common by literally a factor of ~~75000000 source:+ Show Spoiler + (http://www.gallup.com/poll/114544/darwin-birthday-believe-evolution.aspx) and glenn beck has quite a following, and I daresay 99% of his audience votes either republican or not at all, either way they still follow him after glenn said he believes obama has a 'deep seated hatred for white culture' I wasn't addressing evolution in particular, just extremist viewpoints in general. As far as evolution is concerned, the politicians are going to reflect the views of the general public which are heavily influenced by religion. Theres clearly a divide on evolution between Rep and Dem but theres still 38% of Democrats in the US who are creationists (10K year old earth) http://www.gallup.com/poll/108226/republicans-democrats-differ-creationism.aspx So, no, creationism isn't extremist in the US. Its also not that important to most people. For the most part, the conservatives don't think the federal government should be involved heavily in education and the instances of it being taught in school are restricted to individual school districts. Its unfortunate but not something that has a significant impact on people's lives. Glenn Beck has an audience of 2-3M out of over 300M, or about 1%. For reference, six times as many people think the WTC was brought down with explosives. Considerably more people are confused about Iraq's involvement in 9/11. | ||
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crayhasissues
United States682 Posts
On November 04 2010 08:45 clementdudu wrote: You realize that the all god bless america thing is plain ridiculous right? Even though i dont think he said that for those reasons,in the end if god exists(lol) he's no more american than ethiopian,doesnt care more about prayers of blond little child in big houses with a picture of mom dad and the sun hanging on the fridge,than those of a black hobo leaving in a mud hut. Well, you aren't from America, which is a predominantly Christian country, so you wouldn't understand. IE. its very offensive to most of us what he said. Edit: Even if you aren't religious, its pretty bad to hate your own country. | ||
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Blondinbengt
Sweden578 Posts
In general it's just a lot of ''lol, look at those silly americans''-stuff, like making fun of the crazies like Palin or being confused over that abortion and other religous issues are relevant to politics. | ||
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Fa1nT
United States3423 Posts
It's basically a pissing contest between the parties of who can get a candidate who relates more "to the people", but then they don't really do anything different than the other guy would of done. It's also annoying how religious our government is, especially when it comes to limiting many scientifical studies due to "ethics", when it is really religious voter pressure and stuff. | ||
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olias
United Kingdom61 Posts
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DoubleReed
United States4130 Posts
http://www.gallup.com/poll/108226/republicans-democrats-differ-creationism.aspx So, no, creationism isn't extremist in the US. Its also not that important to most people. For the most part, the conservatives don't think the federal government should be involved heavily in education and the instances of it being taught in school are restricted to individual school districts. Its unfortunate but not something that has a significant impact on people's lives. Holy crap those statistics frighten me. Where the hell are all these Americans going to school? | ||
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Slakter
Sweden1947 Posts
On November 04 2010 08:50 Scruffy wrote: Well, you aren't from America, which is a predominantly Christian country, so you wouldn't understand. IE. its very offensive to most of us what he said. Edit: Even if you aren't religious, its pretty bad to hate your own country. What´s so bad about hating your country? I hate all countries, does that mean that I´m the devil?  | ||
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clementdudu
France819 Posts
 First clue:we're a predominantly Christian country. Second clue:France is called the daughter of the Church for a reason And still,we don't think jesus was born in utah and that he'll give us victory no matter what because were France goddamnit. What that guy said is offensive to americans,what americans are saying is offensive to god(lol). Guess who'll rot in hell(lol) | ||
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domovoi
United States1478 Posts
On November 04 2010 08:47 jello_biafra wrote: I doubt he just meant people from other European countries, there are lots of people from India/China/Africa etc. in Western Europe. Wikipedia says 3-4%, if I'm reading it right: "Non-European immigrant groups (Middle Eastern, African, Asian etc.) account for about 3% to 4% of the European population or 22 to 30 million people." In the US, Asians, who basically have no political power at all, are 4% of the population. | ||
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Blueyboyboy
Australia21 Posts
Looking at the past elections and how Bush got elected for a second term. Since the US voting system isn't priority based (as in vote 1-10) that means more people voted against bush but he still had the numbers against other parties. | ||
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trevabob
United Kingdom350 Posts
On November 04 2010 08:50 Scruffy wrote: Well, you aren't from America, which is a predominantly Christian country, so you wouldn't understand. IE. its very offensive to most of us what he said. Edit: Even if you aren't religious, its pretty bad to hate your own country. I see know reason why one should be obliged to love their own country? just because you were born there, you are supposed to ignore all its problems? Then again I am somewhat of an anti-patriotic/nationalist, but still, question these assumptions that you make. Furthermore I fail to see how his statement is offensive to "most of us" unless "you" are an fundamentalist and a racist, in which case I hope you are fucking offended. | ||
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trevabob
United Kingdom350 Posts
On November 04 2010 08:59 Blueyboyboy wrote: i think that the US voting system is messed up. Looking at the past elections and how Bush got elected for a second term. Since the US voting system isn't priority based (as in vote 1-10) that means more people voted against bush but he still had the numbers against other parties. I don't think its more or less messed up than any other system - voting systems are never perfect, and re:the Bush example above, you can cheat in any test - doesn't mean the test is bad  | ||
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duckii
Germany1017 Posts
On November 04 2010 08:50 Scruffy wrote: Well, you aren't from America, which is a predominantly Christian country, so you wouldn't understand. IE. its very offensive to most of us what he said. Edit: Even if you aren't religious, its pretty bad to hate your own country. . The personal life and a clean sheet history seem to be very very important in the USA. Digging up shit and hyperbole seems to be the norm. People can change, just look at Mr. Fischer one of our foreign ministers a.D.. He was a militant leftist and clubbed a policeman during his university days but was still very much respected here in Germany (for whatever reasons) | ||
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domovoi
United States1478 Posts
On November 04 2010 08:51 Blondinbengt wrote: I don't really pay any attention to the Swedish media so I have no clue what they have to say about american politics. But just based on personal experience, the thing I hear other swedes comment on the most is the voting system in the US, more specifically that they think it's old and just plain stupid. In general it's just a lot of ''lol, look at those silly americans''-stuff, like making fun of the crazies like Palin or being confused over that abortion and other religous issues are relevant to politics. Actually, I find it interesting so many Europeans in this thread have mentioned abortion. The last time the federal government made a big deal about it was in 2003, when they banned partial-birth abortion (it wasn't even controversial). IIRC, a lot European countries don't even allow abortions at the third trimester. Abortion is one of those non-issues that get some Americans riled up for uniquely American reasons. I think it has a lot to do with the political climate of the 60s and 70s, when you had a lot of feminists taking it up as their cause, and naturally pushback from those who viewed the counter-culture movement with disguest. Then when the Supreme Court issued Roe v. Wade, naturally a lot of people felt it was an illegitimate, non-democratic decision. A lot of those feelings have carried over 30 years later, though much of it is dissipated. | ||
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domovoi
United States1478 Posts
On November 04 2010 09:00 trevabob wrote: I see know reason why one should be obliged to love their own country? just because you were born there, you are supposed to ignore all its problems? Then again I am somewhat of an anti-patriotic/nationalist, but still, question these assumptions that you make. Furthermore I fail to see how his statement is offensive to "most of us" unless "you" are an fundamentalist and a racist, in which case I hope you are fucking offended. Nationalism is scary... but I think just as misguided are those who have a large antipathy toward their own country, especially if they are Westerners who are by far the richest people ever to live on this planet. Basically, it's a lack of perspective for the position they are currently in, where a lot of good policies allowed them to live a relatively care-free life. | ||
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domovoi
United States1478 Posts
On November 04 2010 08:59 Blueyboyboy wrote: i think that the US voting system is messed up. Looking at the past elections and how Bush got elected for a second term. Since the US voting system isn't priority based (as in vote 1-10) that means more people voted against bush but he still had the numbers against other parties. I think you mean the first term? Bush decisively won the popular vote in the second term. Yeah, the electoral college is obsolete and weird, but it almost always gives the correct result. The one time it didn't (2000), the national vote tallies were simply too close to say who "should've" won. | ||
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BEARDiaguz
Australia2362 Posts
On November 04 2010 08:46 domovoi wrote: Taiwan, Japan (more like a one-party system amirite), Korea, the UK until recently, Canada if you don't count the crazy Frenchies... Don't forget Australia! Well, the annoying 3rd party is getting a little bigger every day (holds the balanceo f power in the Senate, grr!) but it's mostly between righty mcrightersons (The Liberal National Coalition, formed out of annoying country folk, mining folk and Richers) and the not-quite-as-right-ersons (The Australian Labour party, formed from those goddamn socialist union 'warlords', working class folk, and a different KIND of richer.). And the Greens, that 3rd party, made up of Moral grandstanders and the remnants of the Australian Communist Party and other left wing pinkos. Australian politics is actually very similar to American politics (I know American analysts pay close attention to us as a sort of 'mini-america', and we've both been going through some fairly similar times involving political shifts and health care problems, and issues with convincing natural resource companies that 'negro you just went full retard'). We have our 'republican' party with it's religious enforcer (Tony "The Mad Monk" Abbott), and we have our constantly divisive and popularist 'democrat' party (Led by Kevin Ru-. Oh, whoops!). We argue about ideologies, about taxing and spending (huuuuuuge issue over here, just like with Obama, is the whole "government is spending too much lol!" mixed with, "Government is spending it wastefully, lol!" The second is huge loads of absolute bullshit, but the first. perhaps). Our right wingers hate foreigners (well, 'illegal' ones anyway), and our lefties love appearing on popular media shows. Except we do some things a bit differently. First, we force you to vote. Americans don't, and they have to campaign not just "vote for me", but actually "vote you fucker!". Compulsory voting seems silly, and I suppose does infringe upon our freedom to vote (or to not vote), but it's actually worked out pretty well for us. Second, we don't have a 'proud' history we like to lampoon about. We have a constitution. It's a dusty old tome THAT WE DON'T GIVE A FUCK ABOUT. Goddamn, I hate how Americans are so obssessed with their musty old Bill of Rights and US Constitution. And their founding fathers. We do it right. We know that no-one cares that Edmund Barton was our first Prime Minister, or that Henry whatshisface drafted our Constitution and federated the states. Focus on the now, people. Third, we have a major election roughly every 3 years, not this midterm crap. Why do midterms exist anyway? Seems pointless. Just have one every 4 years, not one every 2. Course, this'll never change anytime soon because it's unconstitutional, but still. Fourth, our rightwing nutjobs are, probably, not as nuts as American right wing nutjobs. at least, this is what I tell myself every 3 years. The result is that most politics over here is about 'the real issues'. It's actually performed a step or two above what we see from the US. It's pretty good. Oh sure it's still mostly bullshit and hogwash, but it's still pretty good. | ||
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