American Politics from Here
Watching American politics from outside the United State is best described as bewildering amusement. It would be just funny if the stakes were not so high. If Americans get it wrong the World will pay the price.
We have been watching the band of clowns that have been seeking the Republican nomination. It is hard to understand the lack of truly serious rational intellectual debate among this bunch. It seems they are either ignorant or catering to the lowest intellectual level of the American people with their talking points. Virtually all of them are college graduates so I have I think they are not just ignorant so it seem the latter is the case.. . . they are catering to their base which seems to have little understanding of the issues and reacts out of prejudice, ideology or ignorance. The potential Republican Presidential candidate, whoever it is represents a scary alternative to Barack Obama.
My biggest concern of a Republican President is that he will declare war on Iran, if Obama does not beat him to it. It makes me wonder if they know much about Iran. I would suggest they at least read the CIA book on Iran. It is not another Iraq. It is a much bigger country with a military that can put up a fight. What we are hearing these days is that Iran must be stopped from getting an nuclear bomb. . .at all cost, apparently. The fact of the matter is Iran does not have a nuclear bomb, nor a program to acquire one soon. The Iranians have been telling us this all along. To have such a weapon, the Ayatollah has called it un-Islamic ( Of course, I think for American to have such a weapon is un-Christian.); it being a weapon to only destroy the innocent in an act of terror. While nothing is certain, the American and Israeli intelligence agencies say that Iran does not have a nuclear weapons program. It seems the politicians either do not believe them or think it is advantageous to lie to the citizens.We have seen this before many times but the last time was when they told us Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, and "we know where they are". I can hear them now saying Iran has a nuclear bomb and we know how to stop them from using it. Well, we know that will not work out well.
As for Obama, the only real choice for President, unfortunately, he has proven to be a big disappointment. He has failed to deliver on all his good ideas, beginning with closing the prison camp at Guantanamo. He has proved to be powerless in seeing this through even though he is the most powerful man in the United States both as the President and Commander in Chief. Makes one wonder who is in charge if he is not. He has conducted his presidency in a gentle way seeking cooperation from the Republicans and taking the Democrats for granted. It early on appeared that this gentle way of doing politics was not working as the Republicans were determined to never give up anything to help the President do the best for the country. All I can say is Barack Obama is not Lyndon Johnson, who was a skilled wielder of power, who during another war also managed to get his social programs for the country made law. Sadly Barack Obama has carried on far too much of the Bush program for the country, rooted in fear. He could have done much better. One can only hope he has learned some lessons to make a second term more productive, beginning with resisting going to war with Iran,. . .a truly stupid idea.
For what it is worth below is a little levity. Here is a gentle suggestion from Canada to have Canada run for the the Presidency. Believe me, while Canadians are amused by American politics we wish our American cousins well in their endeavour. You may not know it but we need one another.
If you were amused by this video you might like to seen the second one about "The Candidates."
May the best man win. Canadians will be struggling against our own gentler regressive government.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTKk7HjZVe0
posted by Tossing Pebbles in the Stream @ 5:35 p.m.
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5 Comments:
HA! Philip, I saw that video and loved it.
As to the American presidential race--what a travesty. I am ashamed of the provincialism on display so prominently. What are we doing? I fear you are seeing the decline of our country with the absurd drivel that is the presidential race.
Yes, we (The US) and you (Canada) do need each other ... and I hope it will always remain like that. I have not been as disappointed in Pres. Obama as I have in those of us who put him in office and then deserted him at the mid-term elections. Letting the right wing elements get an upper hand has been disastrous to us and I pray that he gets another 4 years to set it straight ... or at least set us on a better path.
You're right, Philip, it would be funny if there wasn't so much at stake. Obama has made mistakes. But he's no demagogue.
These days, Republican candidates -- with the exception of the recently departed John Huntsman -- seem to fit into that category.
It's always interesting to read your thoughts. Like you, I shake my head over the pathetic Republican candidates and even more at others who were once in the running.
And your American cousins are grateful for your concern. This interminable season of debates has been tough to watch and tougher to contemplate that one of this crowd could be our president.
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