VOTE

[Mikekoz13]

It always amazes me that people all over the world feel like they need to put their two cents in on who we Americans vote into office. I can assure you that NOBODY I know gives a damn who is voted into power in any other country. We are more concerned with our own political shenanigans.

This isn't aimed at anyone's comments so please don't think that it is.

[tomgallagher]

I saw an interview on BBC from London today with Cameron Diaz and Colin Firth. She said she went to bed last night not knowing the results so when she got up she quick had to find out who won and lo and behold she was thrilled to see that democracy had worked and Obama had been re-elected. I guess if Governor Romney had been elected democracy would not have worked. Colin Firth looked at her like she was crazy. What a stick of wood.

[TheSlyBear]

Democracy works when we exercise our right to vote, no matter who wins.

There are enough stupid comments going around in the aftermath of the election about democracy working, or not working, on both sides of the aisle to fill all the football stadiums in the country.

What's most important is that we all have the right to vote, and that we exercise that right. I don't care who anyone votes for (but myself), but apathy with regards to voting completely irritates me. I know too many people that didn't vote because "my vote doesn't count".

Makes me want to chew my arm off.

[D.A.L.U.I.]

PLUS ONE

[baldjoeg]

I was head election judge at our precinct yesterday. Man - it was crazy! I have never seen an election like this. I have been a judge for over 12 years and this was my 3rd Presidential election. We were so busy the whole time from when the poles opened at 7:00 A.M. until about 7;45 P.M. The polls here closed at 8:00 P.M. We had an unbelievably high voter turn out which is good.

So glad that I only had to do this for 1 day. I am still tired today.

No time to shave the dome before I had to report in at 6:00 A.M. to set up. Decided to go see my favorite barber for a straight razor head shave on Friday morning. I fell a need to be pampered again. Will have to live with the stubble in the mean time.

Take care all my sly friends and thanks for getting out to vote.

 

[Beardman]

It always amazes me that people all over the world feel like they need to put their two cents in on who we Americans vote into office. I can assure you that NOBODY I know gives a damn who is voted into power in any other country. We are more concerned with our own political shenanigans.

This isn't aimed at anyone's comments so please don't think that it is.

I know exactly what you mean... and I was amazed at the coverage over here in Australia over the whole thing... since when did Australia become a member of the US? Sure a little mention in the 6pm news (the major news time slot over here)... but I'm amazed they stopped short of showing the full vote count...

 

Handing out how to vote forms is also banned within 100 metres of voting places on polling day.

I won't offend anyone by commenting on the result as I am sure there are members of SBG from both sides of the electoral divide but a poll here showed Australians preferred Obama to Romney by about 3 to 1.

That is interesting... is that from the building, or from the actual polling booths because where I normally vote the people handing out propaganda are normally standing close to, or leaning up against the building waiting to for people to walk past on the way to vote, so that is certainly not within 100m of the building, and I think you'd be hard pressed to say they were 100m from the booths as well!

Also, I don't understand why people feel they can make a comment on that in Australia, unless you were referring to US citizens living over here, because if someone asked me I'd probably just send them on their ways...

[Mr Jules]

Vote.

If you're interested in reading how some Europeans view our process I recommend the following, you may not agree, but it certainly has a challenging point of view.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/spiegel-commentary-about-us-election-campaign-a-865431.html

Sainttc,

That's an interesting article. Here in the UK too, some political commentators were saying that neither presidential candidate were addressing some of the issues of poverty in the US. And that Americans generally remain more hopeful than Europeans.

Both the BBC and Channel 4 did take the same view on the Republican vote: there aren't enough angry white men voting for them any more.
http://static.happyplace.com/assets/images/2012/11/509bedacdc6e5.jpeg

[Laser Man]

Many on this thread are wondering why people in other countries pay so much attention to the U.S. elections and voice their opinions about our candidates.  There are a number of good reasons.  To name a few:

1) the U.S. is an important military ally of many countries (think NATO, Israel)
2) the U.S. is still the world's largest economy and a major market for many countries' exports
3) there are long cultural and historical ties with the U.S. because of immigration dating back to the Pilgrims (too many countries to name)

I lived in western Europe for five years and the daily news always included information about the U.S.  I personally don't think it would be a bad thing if the U.S. media provided more and better coverage of other countries.

[Mr Jules]

I lived in western Europe for five years and the daily news always included information about the U.S.  I personally don't think it would be a bad thing if the U.S. media provided more and better coverage of other countries.

Agreed.

On my many visits to the US, I've been disappointed with the US media coverage of other countries.

[mark]

I agree. The us news is too busy covering celebrity bullshit.

[Mr Jules]

I agree. The us news is too busy covering celebrity bullsh*t.

The BBC (UK main broadcaster) did a good job of covering the US presidential election. Plenty of information and analysis. On this side of the Atlantic, we're all up to speed !

[D.A.L.U.I.]

Interest and concern outside one's own self and sphere of immediate attention has been a subject of interest to many and is perhaps best and most succinctly expressed by John Donne, "No man is an island entire of itself; every man
is a piece of the continent, a part of the main."  Although many may disagree I, personally, think it is of utmost importance to maintain broad interest in other places and cultures. 

[Slynito]

...very true. I've found where ever I travel people know the news from the US...celebs, sports, politics, the things that make us proud and ashamed. I was living in the PRC on election day 2008 and even though the winner was apparent I wanted more information. I went on-line and the net was overloaded and unbearably slow. So I jogged down the street to an internet cafe where you'll find the fastest conduits to cyberspace. The place was packed, but after a short wait I was able to get a computer and read all of the US news papers. But it doesn't seem to work that way here...China, is presently choosing their leaders for the next ten years and it's hard to find much of anything about it in the US media. 

[theman]

A lady friend of mine which lives down in Az. told me that a friend of her's lives in South Africa and all of white folks are worried about living from day to day.  Alot of uprising.  US , hasn't heard anything about that .  We only hear what they want us to hear, and in there way !   

[Mr Jules]

Looks like Florida has called for Obama.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-20282797
Bring his total to 332 electoral college votes.