The American Election: a View From Over the Pond.

IN MY VIEW

Why should I care what happens in the USA Presidential election? It’s a sad fact of life that the USA has a hugely inflated influence in the world. US foreign policy impacts far more deeply, far more widely than the nation deserves, with its inward obsession. And that’s the problem: US policies, regarding the world as a whole, are entirely based on what’s best for the US, rather than what’s best for the world.

Obama at least has an awareness and an interest in what happens beyond the shores of his own continent. I fear not only for the women and the poor of America, but for the world as a whole if Romney succeeds in gaining the post of the most powerful man in the world.

Where Obama displays concern for the poor and disadvantaged, and tries his best, against strong opposition from the right, to do what he can for them, Romney has shown himself indifferent or even worse in his attitude to society’s victims. The wealthy have stripped the poor of their resources and rights for centuries and Romney belongs to that class of people who hold the view that the poor deserve to be poor. He has no conception of the realities of life for those without personal wealth. His attitude to women is appalling: his many statements demonstrate that he has no interest in the views of women and simply wants them to remain silent and under the control of men. This cowardly stance is fed, of course, by his religious background, which, in common with the backward paternalistic culture of many third world countries, considers women as second class citizens or, worse, as no more than goods and chattels. It staggers me that any woman could even consider voting for this man who appears to reside in a Hollywood version of the stone age, where men are depicted as superior beings and women are no more than decorative slaves expected to pander to male whims and fancies. Of course, it’s probable that such women have been brain-washed, often via extreme forms of religion, into not only accepting their subservient role but into evangelising this Neanderthal philosophy.

I hope, without any expectation of satisfaction, that the women and the poor of America will rise up and demand their rights by voting for Obama, kicking the right wing in the teeth for their lack of compassion and their inhumanity regarding all underdogs. There are just two days to go before the momentous decision is made. I appeal to all women, disadvantaged citizens, and right-thinking folk of the wonderful land of America to go out and vote for President Obama. The rest of the world will applaud you if you do. If you wonder how I know this, follow this link.

Stuart's Daily Word Spot: Whether or if?

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Whether or if?

These two conjunctions are more or less interchangeable. However, 'whether' is generally used in more formal writing. And 'if' gives a better idea that possibility or probability is involved with the alternatives on offer.

So:

'Whether you vote Labour or Conservative will make no difference to your life: both parties will screw you unless you're part of the club.'

'If you vote Labour, you can feel that you've tried to be socially responsible, but if you vote Conservative, you'll have to accept you've displayed no social conscience. Of course, the reality is that neither vote will improve matters for you, unless you belong to the small group making the decisions.'

 

5 May: The Vote; Alternative or Otherwise.

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Today, in UK, we vote, some of us in local council elections, all of us in the referendum on alternative voting. Some, of course, won’t bother with either. Whether this is idleness, indifference, cynicism, boredom or an underlying distrust of the political system, it’s a sad outcome when you consider that people suffered and died so we would have the right to make our feelings known. In many Arab countries, in China, in African states, people are being killed, incarcerated, beaten and tortured simply for expressing views at variance with the current voice of power. It does us little credit to allow laziness or petty reasoning to prevent us exercising those hard-won rights and freedoms. I hope as many as possible will go out there and vote today.

As for the Alternative Vote referendum; the ‘No’ camp has put out some pretty scary propaganda; the vast majority of it untrue, of course, since it is the current powers that most fear change.

A ‘No’ vote will mean a continuation of the status quo; the seesaw between selfish conservatism and ideologically outdated socialism will carry on, with little positive effect on the vast majority of the electorate as those MPs, certain of a job for life, settle back into the trough and get on with their other jobs at the expense of the country.

A ‘Yes’ vote will probably mean a change, and a change that may possibly be for the better. I’m not suggesting there will be an overnight or even a noticeable change to begin with. But, the alternative voting system, flawed as it is, will at least mean that your MP will have to take your concerns into account, if he or she is to rely on your vote next time round.

At present, we can have a government voted in by 23% of the electorate, but the ‘No’ camp appear to believe it’s perfectly acceptable for the country to be run by people who 77% of the country didn’t want in power and want to see such inequity continue forever. My own view is that my MP should become the representative he/she is supposed to be; I want this public servant, who is paid a large salary to work for me and you, to do just that: work for me and you. Don’t you? 
I hold no brief for any political party; in fact, I believe that party politics is not good democracy. A group of independents would serve us better, in my opinion.
If you'd like to know a little more about this issue, try the following links:
An organisation of activists for change in many areas - http://38degrees.org.uk/
You might find these articles by the BBC helpful:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/13112302
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11243595

Or you could have a look at what the ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ campaigns for the referendum have to say:
Yes Campaign: http://www.yestofairervotes.org/
No Campaign: http://www.no2av.org/ 


But, whatever else you decide, please do make the effort to actually go out there and place your vote. There are millions in the rest of the world risking their lives to take freedoms we take for granted.


My apologies to my international readers, for whom this post is likely to be of little interest.