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#21

Humans: The only animals on the planet who routinely repeat their own mistakes. ;D

Whichever way this vote went, it was always going to be a shame that the world’s biggest democracy was being run by someone who only just managed to scrape in. I wonder how it’d feel to live in a country where 50% of people would prefer it if their elected leader wasn’t in power? Must be a very odd atmosphere indeed.

Ah, well.

So, what now? Will Bush get back on friendly terms with Europe and gather more support for the rebuilding of Iraq? By the time of the next election, the Euro is likely to be almost on equal standing with the Dollar, putting the American economy under even more strain.

Or, buoyed by a second term in office, will he start making waves towards Iran and North Korea? Solving the North Korean problem will certainly be good for US-Japan relations, but it could scupper US-China - and so much Asian money is going to be required over the next few years to keep the Dollar in the game. Moving towards Iran will likely cause even more turmoil in the Middle East.

Interesting times, indeed!

#22

As usual, my vote had no effect.
Atari, SGI, Java, Kerry, I can’t get a break :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

#23

[quote]Whichever way this vote went, it was always going to be a shame that the world’s biggest democracy was being run by someone who only just managed to scrape in. I wonder how it’d feel to live in a country where 50% of people would prefer it if their elected leader wasn’t in power? Must be a very odd atmosphere indeed.
[/quote]
Wasn’t it last time that Bush had less than 50% of the direct votes (if people could elect the president directly)? In general it’s not a big problem to have only 50% of the voices, but in the case of Bush vs. Kerry the population is split. (Btw. with respect to population India is a bigger democracy than the USA.)

#24

Well it looks likely that Bush will take it again. This is the second most imbarrased to be an American I’ve ever felt. This first was the invasion of Iraq.

I think America is on the final leg of it’s life. Get ready for global anarchy, Bush will have us in a world war or a civil war.

#25

It is very unusual for the winner to win the popular vote. If Bush wins he will have both the popular and electoral votes, very rare.

#26

I second that. I hope someone stops us the next time we make a stupid move like invading a country for no reason. I am completely mortified.

#27

Maybe the Chinese will blow you up or something.

Cas :slight_smile:

#28

Well Kerry just gave in apparently.

#29

I’m happy, my guy won; all of you supporters of tyrannical, genocidal dictators can kiss my ass!

Seriously, as seemingly the only representitive of the majority of US voters here I got to say;

  1. We believed a war to remove Saddam was right for that reason alone
  2. Doing it without the support of corrupt UN was right
  3. The fact we pissed off France made it that much sweeter!
  4. I support the ban on stem cell research; it has succeeded in starting public dialog about stem cell research and other ‘life’ issues: cloning, gene therapy, genetic engineering etc…
  5. The only thing I don’t agree with Bush about is abortion.

edit; spelling

#30

[quote]1. We believed a war to remove Saddam was right
[/quote]
The US said the reasons for war are that Iraq is a threat to world peace and has mass destruction weapons. Both is actually wrong. They also mentioned something like the Iraq government works together with Al-Qaida, which is obviously also wrong. It’s correct that Saddam Hussein is a dictator and there was a need to improve the situation in the Iraq. But in exactly this point the US failed again. They had no concepts and if you watch the news you’ll see death and destruction all day in Iraq. Do you really think this was the right way?

[quote]2. Doing it without the support of corrupt UN was right
[/quote]
Why?

[quote]3. The fact France didn’t like it made it that much sweeter!
[/quote]
That’s a non-argument. Btw. Germany was against it, too.

Every industrial nation on this planet has to cooperate with the USA and will certainly do so, but it is indeed difficult.

#31

[quote]I’m happy, my guy won; all of you supporters of tyrannical, genocidal dictators can kiss my ass!
[/quote]
Hehe well then you’ll get an sore ass, because allready a large portion of the world is on the borderline of hating your country.

If I was an american I would worry more about the 7 trillion $ national debt and insane trade deflict you’ve got then some bogus appocalyptic terrorist threat. I mean how do you manage to get a 7 trillion $ debt when you virtualy have no wellfare system? :smiley:

#32

It will be interesting to see how they spin the massive budget shortfalls as the responsibility of the democrats. Hopefully the republicans will continue their spending ways and the American public will get fed up with the lie that we are spending more because of 911 and iraq.

#33

[quote]I wonder how it’d feel to live in a country where 50% of people would prefer it if their elected leader wasn’t in power?
[/quote]
That is the status quo in a two-party system.

God bless,
-Toby Reyelts

#34

[quote]some bogus appocalyptic terrorist threat
[/quote]
When the terrorists attacked, their targets were the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the White House. Both the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were actually hit. I don’t know what dictionary you use, but the term “bogus” stands in total antithesis to the situation.

Tell, you what. I’m going to drop a couple bombs on your country’s military and government centers, and you tell me how seriously they’ll take that. It’s so easy to criticize from the outside.

God bless,
-Toby Reyelts

#35

[quote]I second that. I hope someone stops us the next time we make a stupid move like invading a country for no reason. I am completely mortified.
[/quote]
There’s no question that Saddam wasn’t directly responsible for 9/11, but it was Saddam’s idiocy which led to Iraq’s invasion. He refused to submit to our requests by the deadline we gave him, so we went into Iraq to ensure the safety of our country. This was all “legal” by UN rules, even if certain UN members weren’t in favor of the action.

As it turns out, it was quite a good thing that Saddam acted stupidly. Had you listened to any of the reports delivered in the senate, you would have known that we learned that Saddam was diverting the vast majority of Iraq’s income into military funding and expansion. The UN’s “food for oil” strategy was a joke. Had we not stopped Saddam immediately, in a few years time, we’d be living in a much scarier world.

God bless,
-Toby Reyelts

#36

[quote]Tell, you what. I’m going to drop a couple bombs on your country’s military and government centers, and you tell me how seriously they’ll take that. It’s so easy to criticize from the outside.
[/quote]
Because obviously before 9/11 there was no terrorist incidents anywhere in the world and america is the victimised becon of peace riding the world of terrorism for everyones benifit.
::slight_smile:

#37

[quote]Maybe the Chinese will blow you up or something.
[/quote]
I gather this is tongue-in-cheek, and yet your wishes for death and destruction upon me don’t exactly strengthen my opinion of you. Perhaps it would be better if you could direct your anger at particular US policies that you feel affect you personally, as a non-US citizen?

God bless,
-Toby Reyelts

#38

[quote]Because obviously before 9/11 there was no terrorist incidents anywhere in the world and america is the victimised becon of peace riding the world of terrorism for everyones benifit.
[/quote]
Tell me the last time a terrorist group effectively bombed the military headquarters of a 1st-world country? Had this been the action of a country, and not a group of terrorists, it would have immediately sent us into war with that country. When we entered WWII, due to the bombing of Pearl Harbor, less lives had been lost, and the target itself was far less important.

[quote]for everyones benifit
[/quote]
When Al Qaeda is no longer a threat, it will be to everyone’s benefit.

God bless,
-Toby Reyelts

#39

[quote]When Al Qaeda is no longer a threat, it will be to everyone’s benefit.
[/quote]
While in the meantime it could be argued that the current foreign policy breeds more resentment and terrorist activity in middle east countries.

Well, it could be argued, but I’ve got game code to write. :wink:

#40

[quote]While in the meantime it could be argued that the current foreign policy breeds more resentment and terrorist activity in middle east countried.
[/quote]
Right, because giving the citizens of Iraq the freedoms to vote, speak their mind, and choose their own religion is a sure-fire path to engendering hostility. Most Iraqi citizens also feel a kindredship with the Islamic extremists that indiscriminately blow up their friends and neighbors.

[quote]Well, it could be argued, but I’ve got game code to write
[/quote]
Any viewpoint can be argued irrespective of merit.

God bless,
-Toby Reyelts