If the World could vote
Here in Denmark, national TV has a pool. Who would you wote at the US elections. So far the results are:
George W. Bush 11%
John Kerry 81%
Anden kandidat (others = Nader) 5%
Ville ikke stemme (Will not vote) 1%
Ved ikke (do not know) 2%
13831 stemmer i alt. (total votes)
I am currious how other countries would vote.
George W. Bush 11%
John Kerry 81%
Anden kandidat (others = Nader) 5%
Ville ikke stemme (Will not vote) 1%
Ved ikke (do not know) 2%
13831 stemmer i alt. (total votes)
I am currious how other countries would vote.
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My guess is, that today he has about 60 million friends at home ... standing in lines to keep him. I would call that many. The thing that worries me most about Kerry, is that I think most of his 60 million friends are not really that fond of him - they just like gwbjr less. Thus, even if it turns 60m/60m, it may be that 90m are voting pro/con gwbjr and only 30m are voting pro/con JFK.
All in all, I think the US democracy is a good deal more strange than the Danish one (which is sort of odd too). Winning a state 51/49 and getting all the votes is a bit bizare in my opinion.
Danish observers (who where invited by the US government) are reporting, that they are not allowed to get in ... making US a good deal more closed than the countries they try to push into democracy.
I like the idea of democracy, I just think it is in practice rapidly aproaching the usefullness (for the people) of old iron curtain communist leaderships. Here in Denmark several members of the government has been at edge with the law, but politicians sertainly do thriwe on their imunity here.
All in all, I think the US democracy is a good deal more strange than the Danish one (which is sort of odd too). Winning a state 51/49 and getting all the votes is a bit bizare in my opinion.
Danish observers (who where invited by the US government) are reporting, that they are not allowed to get in ... making US a good deal more closed than the countries they try to push into democracy.
I like the idea of democracy, I just think it is in practice rapidly aproaching the usefullness (for the people) of old iron curtain communist leaderships. Here in Denmark several members of the government has been at edge with the law, but politicians sertainly do thriwe on their imunity here.
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I just wish that the American political administration could try to get votes and patriotism out of its people by telling the truth for once, rather than paranoia-inducing lies.
Back in the sixties, they invented the "Threat of Communism". Now that's past, it's now the "Threat of International Terrorism".
*sighs*
Royston
Back in the sixties, they invented the "Threat of Communism". Now that's past, it's now the "Threat of International Terrorism".
*sighs*
Royston
- paulrmartin
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The "Threat of Communism" started being a factor in North American politics back in the 20s. It was everywhere in the newspapers at the time, and that's when the term "Reds" was popularized. The U.S. government began its fearmongering in the late 30s, and got into full swing with McCarthy hunting down anything that moved in the 50s.
By way of comparison, "terrorism" and "Islamic extremism" and so on have been bobbing about for roughly 10 years. The anti-terror campaign has only picked up strongly in the past 3 years, in spite of Clinton's agenda to bomb the crap out of Afghanistan. (Bush shelved Clinton's plans.)
At this point we're only in the 20s of "international terrorism", IMHO. If this is a repeat of the anti-communism campaign of the 20s-60s then we've got lots of fun, lies and destruction ahead of us over the next few decades.
Cheers,
Johann
By way of comparison, "terrorism" and "Islamic extremism" and so on have been bobbing about for roughly 10 years. The anti-terror campaign has only picked up strongly in the past 3 years, in spite of Clinton's agenda to bomb the crap out of Afghanistan. (Bush shelved Clinton's plans.)
At this point we're only in the 20s of "international terrorism", IMHO. If this is a repeat of the anti-communism campaign of the 20s-60s then we've got lots of fun, lies and destruction ahead of us over the next few decades.
Cheers,
Johann
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Man, they do TV ads making fun of each other, do debates that boil down to "your plan sucks, mine is better" vs "my opponent doesn't know what he's talking about", turn the whole thing into a "which party are you going to" situation.. Sure, there are lots who never voted, but voted this time.
I heard an ABC guy say "you could really see democracy at work, where your one vote counts". And many times throughout many different TV shows (in the US), I saw that "your vote counts" and "democracy" associated over and over. Sure, everyone's vote counts and it's a part of democracy.
But the measures used to persuade the voters is just rediculous. It's not really democracy we're talking about, it's media control. The word "democracy" just sounds much better so they use it on the media. "Democracy" strictly means how much you were willing to buy whatever was covered on media. The more you believed the stuff, the more you were taking part in "democracy". (that's the basic framework I think)
Well, media is good, when used right. But this time? Probably not.
(anyone to reply, don't talk about politics, talk about media and its relation to democracy)
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: kensuguro on 2004-11-03 23:47 ]</font>
I heard an ABC guy say "you could really see democracy at work, where your one vote counts". And many times throughout many different TV shows (in the US), I saw that "your vote counts" and "democracy" associated over and over. Sure, everyone's vote counts and it's a part of democracy.
But the measures used to persuade the voters is just rediculous. It's not really democracy we're talking about, it's media control. The word "democracy" just sounds much better so they use it on the media. "Democracy" strictly means how much you were willing to buy whatever was covered on media. The more you believed the stuff, the more you were taking part in "democracy". (that's the basic framework I think)
Well, media is good, when used right. But this time? Probably not.
(anyone to reply, don't talk about politics, talk about media and its relation to democracy)
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: kensuguro on 2004-11-03 23:47 ]</font>
Well put Ken
Also here, elections have for many years been about promissing people things, that you reject giving them if you get the power. If you do not get the power, you tell people that you definitely would have given them what you promissed. Who sucseeds best at lying wins. If you stick to worthy ethics, you will not apeal to the mass, and thus your party does not become as big.
Was that politics or media? well ... manipulation anyway.
Also here, elections have for many years been about promissing people things, that you reject giving them if you get the power. If you do not get the power, you tell people that you definitely would have given them what you promissed. Who sucseeds best at lying wins. If you stick to worthy ethics, you will not apeal to the mass, and thus your party does not become as big.
Was that politics or media? well ... manipulation anyway.
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Lighten up. I voted for Kerry. Now could you please make sure I'm on the scrolls. Thank you.
Maybe I would have voted for Ralph Nader but he didn't make the Illinois ballot for some odd reason. So it was either Bush, Kerry or someone from the Libertarian party.
Ya know, it would be a pretty cool world if anyone in the world could vote for anyone in the world. All elections everywhere are open to the entire civilized world. That would be interesting huh? Maybe some kind of internet voting system.
Maybe I would have voted for Ralph Nader but he didn't make the Illinois ballot for some odd reason. So it was either Bush, Kerry or someone from the Libertarian party.
Ya know, it would be a pretty cool world if anyone in the world could vote for anyone in the world. All elections everywhere are open to the entire civilized world. That would be interesting huh? Maybe some kind of internet voting system.