Barack Obama,,

[CapnG]

Oh please.. communism sucks ass for a variety of reasons and everyone knows it. That's why you don't see any prosperous and free communist countries. Why would you even remotely try and defend it?

I think you got me wrong there, Ape. I just think it's funny when Americans use the word communism as if it still had some weight. It's utter failure as a social philosophy is writ large on the pages of history.

European Socialism is a more complicated issue, but again, I'll stay here, enjoying life, in horrible facist evil Nazi capitalist pig America and you can continue feeling smug in whatever country you happen to be from.

Canada (That's soviet Canuckistan to you, I believe ). And we don't do smug... it's impolite.

Then wouldn't that mean that only the richest people can and will run? More money = more influence via the media.

Is that ironic or are you being serious? Damn ambiguous text...

 

[DamnDirtyApe]

Canada (That's soviet Canuckistan to you, I believe ). And we don't do smug... it's impolite.

that's cool then. Canuckistans aren't so bad From your earlier replies I thought I was being lectured to yet again by another European about how superior their socialist system is compared to ours. The more I interact with Europeans, the more defensive and pissed off I seem to get. Guess the feeling is mutual.

And no, communism isn't the boogeyman anymore here. Most people would say it's "terrorist" which is a good candidate, but my personal favorite is "racist". All anyone has to do is remotely mumble the word for any reason, and everyone runs for cover and begs for forgiveness no matter what was said. Yep, racism is definately the new communism IMO.

I just threw that word (communsim) in to include the USSR, since for a time, that was an admittedly huge political force on the planet.

 

[Filer of False Complaints]

I'm Canadian.... BUT pretty much all I watch is American TV... for the laughs. FOX and CNN are Great.

Why does everyone give Obama such a hard time over Rev. Wright???
Once they catch Obama sitting in the audience in one of his CRAZY sermons, then people should start worrying. Now they are outraged about Wright's 9/11 speech which only rivals such speeches from Jerry Farwell, yet not much backlash happened then. Thank god that fat bastard bit the dust.

In the words of Chrisopher hitchens.... "Religion Poisons Everything"

I thought that Clinton's lies on her Bosnia visit were more outrageous. She claims she miss spoke... HA. She has been speaking of snipers on a few occasions. She passes it off like it is nothing. Very Pathetic.

McCain is a stiff. I bet he doesn't last 4 years, let alone 8. Just because he was a POW doesn't make him THE ANSWER.

It doesn't matter who wins... we are all in a world of hurt in the next few years. I thank America for a strong Canadian Dollar. It is great while it lasts. It is only a matter of time until the markets fall and people are shittin in the streets.

 

[DamnDirtyApe]

Why does everyone give Obama such a hard time over Rev. Wright???

For like 20 years, Obama has been a CLOSE friend with Wright. Wright is the guy who married Obama and his wife. The title of Obama's book was from a sermon by Wright.

Now way in hell that Obama didn't know what Wright was all about (hating whitey) Wright said a lot of weird ass stuff like "aids was created by the government to kill black people".

 

[CapnG]

I'm curious about this Wright business too...

Now way in hell that Obama didn't know what Wright was all about (hating whitey) Wright said a lot of weird ass stuff like "aids was created by the government to kill black people".

Okay so obviously he's um... eccentric but what does Wright's views have to do with Obama? From what I've seen, Obama has stated he disagrees with the man. Are people unwilling to accept that? Do they think Obama is some android being programmed by Wright? And why is that significant but McCain's endorsement by firebrand John Hagee not?

I dunno maybe it's a wholly American thing. We're pretty secular up here, no mega-churches, no huge waves of religious fervor.

 

[DamnDirtyApe]

The difference between the McCain thing is that that guy was not a 20 year close friend of McCain's - just some random idiot that McCain was currying votes from, as all politicians are wont to do.

It's a matter of degree - If I chat with you at a party and you are in the KKK it's one thing, if I ask you to come to my house and babysit my kids, that's another thing all together. Even if you say to everyone "man I don't agree with this guy, but wow he's a great babysitter so I've hired him for 20 years" people are gonna call BS. Damning your own country may be seen as cool and enlightend in other parts of the world, but in America (especially coming from a supposedly CHRISTIAN minister), not so much.

If it came out that McCain's personal confidant of 20 years was in the KKK, there would be massive outrage and McCain would be toast. The only reason that Obama isn't toast himself is that the media and the democrats are infatuated with him becuase he's black and gives good speeches, so they give him somewhat of a pass. They are desperate for a black JFK, so pretty much nothing he does will change their minds.

I've been watching MSNBC and the shameless love affair they have with him is embarrasing. It's painful to watch them and their pundits defend Obama all day long, no matter what, while simultaneously hammering Hillary non-stop. They are making Fox news look impartial. So yea, if it was Hillary, she'd be dead in the water as well.

As far as if people on the fence will overlook it or not, it's hard to say. Unless new stuff comes out, this alone won't change too many votes I'd say.

 

[truthseeker]

I don't think any of the three candidates is suited to be the president, but if I have to choose I'll take McCane any day of the the other two. Everybody knows that Hillary is as corrupt as one can get. I don't think anybody in their right mind would vote for her. Obama is talking about change, what change? He hasn't shown any substantial plans of what he's planning to do or what changes he's expecting to put forth. Plus all his ties to the racist reverend leaves a lot of questions of what's really going on in his head and what changes he wants for this country. I do not trust this guy one bit. There is something really fishy about him.

McCane on the other hand comes from a very respected Navy family. He served this country as a Naval Aviator in Vietnam and was a POW for many years. You gotta respect that, if anything. I don't necessarily agree with a lot of his politics but at least you know where his priorities are.

 

[ArizonaWill]

I don't think any of the three candidates is suited to be the president, but if I have to choose I'll take McCane any day of the the other two. Everybody knows that Hillary is as corrupt as one can get. I don't think anybody in their right mind would vote for her. Obama is talking about change, what change? He hasn't shown any substantial plans of what he's planning to do or what changes he's expecting to put forth. Plus all his ties to the racist reverend leaves a lot of questions of what's really going on in his head and what changes he wants for this country. I do not trust this guy one bit. There is something really fishy about him.

McCane on the other hand comes from a very respected Navy family. He served this country as a Naval Aviator in Vietnam and was a POW for many years. You gotta respect that, if anything. I don't necessarily agree with a lot of his politics but at least you know where his priorities are.

The first thing you need to do, in order to vote for the guy and really study his policies, rather than rely on his ancient military record, is to spell his name correctly. It is spelled McCain, as in John McCain. :

By the way, I have more than a few friends who served in the Viet Nam war, who consider McCain to be sort of a shithead for getting captured and held for years as a POW, while they were clever enough to fight and get out of there without being captured.

 

[ArizonaWill]

Why does everyone give Obama such a hard time over Rev. Wright???

For like 20 years, Obama has been a CLOSE friend with Wright. Wright is the guy who married Obama and his wife. The title of Obama's book was from a sermon by Wright.

Now way in hell that Obama didn't know what Wright was all about (hating whitey) Wright said a lot of weird ass stuff like "aids was created by the government to kill black people".

Well, you have to admit that people probably don't doze off to sleep during his sermons! :

This is the danger when any preacher becomes political. People are coming to church for a spiritual message and instead they hear a call to arms, or who to vote for, or who to scapegoat. A lot of people love to hear this stuff, since it legitimizes their lower instincts, making it seem like God's will to go around hating a particular person or group. The color of the preacher's skin is irrelevant. Pat Robertson, for example, is always scapegoating someone, especially gay people and women who hold a job. This is point-a-finger religion and it sells big in America, where personal responsibility is a distasteful topic, but blaming everyone else is respectable.

I think Obama is a symbol that America is maturing a bit, since having a Black man get this far would have been unthinkable a decade or more ago. I think it would be a tragedy for this country, and especially for Black people, if he became president and was found to be corrupt and reactionary. I think a lot of bitterness would settle in and a Black man could not become president afterwards for a very long time.

I agree that the 3 candidates are not much to pick from. McCain is a very elderly man, so I am apprehensive who he would select as his vice-president. If he picks that born again religious fanatic Hucklebee, we are all screwed - back to the Dark Ages. Canada will have to become known as the center of Western Science, since the US in many ways is becoming a decadent banana republic.

 

[truthseeker]

I don't think any of the three candidates is suited to be the president, but if I have to choose I'll take McCane any day of the the other two. Everybody knows that Hillary is as corrupt as one can get. I don't think anybody in their right mind would vote for her. Obama is talking about change, what change? He hasn't shown any substantial plans of what he's planning to do or what changes he's expecting to put forth. Plus all his ties to the racist reverend leaves a lot of questions of what's really going on in his head and what changes he wants for this country. I do not trust this guy one bit. There is something really fishy about him.

McCane on the other hand comes from a very respected Navy family. He served this country as a Naval Aviator in Vietnam and was a POW for many years. You gotta respect that, if anything. I don't necessarily agree with a lot of his politics but at least you know where his priorities are.

The first thing you need to do, in order to vote for the guy and really study his policies, rather than rely on his ancient military record, is to spell his name correctly. It is spelled McCain, as in John McCain. :

By the way, I have more than a few friends who served in the Viet Nam war, who consider McCain to be sort of a shithead for getting captured and held for years as a POW, while they were clever enough to fight and get out of there without being captured.

McCain or McCane...whatever.
I'm not a huge fan of the the guy, but I am familiar with his politics and what he stands for and like I said before, of all the three candidates I believe he's a better choice.

Despite what some other Vietnam veterans think of him, he was there putting his ass on the line. I don't know all the circumstances behind his capture or how he got captured, but I do know that he was badly injured when he was shot down and I'm sure if there was a way to get out he would have. It's very easy to criticize somebody when you've never been in the same situation...

 

[mike]

6 degrees of separation and about 2 cents worth....

America is the most powerful nation on the planet, and i dont mean bombs planes and aircraft carriers, they are just the trappings of the reality.
the reasons would take up far too much space, but at the end of the day the whole world looks to this country, even its enemys hold at the core of their doctrines the "truth" that these guys are the top dog.

you dont have to like it, but you have to acknowledge it.
a generation of youth all over the globe is wearing back to front baseball caps and baggy pants, watching MTV and drinking pepsi or coke.

so when i see a situation where a black person and a female person have made it all the way to the status of one step away from the oval office, the Win is already in.

little girls from all over the planet can look at the worlds most influential nation and see that there is a place where being a girl doesnt automatically preclude you from the top job.
having a black president knocks the wind out of so many of its detractors sails. and sends the same message, here is a place where what matters is the dream and the drive, not your gender or colour.

long before the votes are even cast, the win is in, what a wonderful example to show the world and its children.

America is showing, to this very day that she still holds certain truths to be self evident, undenial and even sacred.

its people should take a bow

 

[DamnDirtyApe]

6 degrees of separation and about 2 cents worth....

America is the most powerful nation on the planet, and i dont mean bombs planes and aircraft carriers, they are just the trappings of the reality.
the reasons would take up far too much space, but at the end of the day the whole world looks to this country, even its enemys hold at the core of their doctrines the "truth" that these guys are the top dog.

you dont have to like it, but you have to acknowledge it.
a generation of youth all over the globe is wearing back to front baseball caps and baggy pants, watching MTV and drinking pepsi or coke.

so when i see a situation where a black person and a female person have made it all the way to the status of one step away from the oval office, the Win is already in.

little girls from all over the planet can look at the worlds most influential nation and see that there is a place where being a girl doesnt automatically preclude you from the top job.
having a black president knocks the wind out of so many of its detractors sails. and sends the same message, here is a place where what matters is the dream and the drive, not your gender or colour.

long before the votes are even cast, the win is in, what a wonderful example to show the world and its children.

America is showing, to this very day that she still holds certain truths to be self evident, undenial and even sacred.

its people should take a bow

Agreed. This breaks down the world's nations in GNP:

http://www.studentsoftheworld.info/infopays/rank/PNB2.html

FYI, America is so far ahead of every other nations it's ludicrous, especially if you compare any nation past the top 6.

When you look past our vast economic, cultural, and militray strength, other issues such as race, gender equality, mortality rates, GNP per capita, standards of living, crime etc. carry a mixed bag.

We are better than most on a lot of things, and not nearly as high on others as we should/could be. We are perhaps not the most enlightened country on race and gender issues (I'm curious to know who would be), but I'd wager to say that we are doing fine compared to other major nations. Not saying things are perfect, but they are far less horrible than people bitch about (except for the murder/incarciration rate, which is atrocious for a first world country)

 

[Capnkumquat]

John McCain was to be allowed to leave his Vietnam prison cell and go home (sons of important individuals were often allowed to leave and John McCain's father was an Admirals in the US navy). He refused to leave his fellow prisoners behind and chose to make theirs and his P.O.W. status front page news.

It may be ancient history, but it shows he has guts, integrity, and loyalty. I may not agree with his politics but anyone who says McCain is a shit head for doing what he did is probably covering up their own issues of inadequacy.

Tearing others heroic deeds down to make yourself feel big is a sure sign of being morally, and intellectually bankrupt.

 

[CapnG]

long before the votes are even cast, the win is in, what a wonderful example to show the world and its children.

America is showing, to this very day that she still holds certain truths to be self evident, undenial and even sacred.

its people should take a bow

Before you sprain your collective wrists from patting yourselves on the back too hard, I think it's only fair to point out that the current German Chancellor is a woman, that Great Britain had Thatcher back in the 80s and that throughout the governments of the rest of the nations of the west, women and non-whites occupy continuously increasing percentages of their respective governmental bodies.

I'm not trying to belittle this achievement in your country's political discourse (on the contrary I applaud it) but make no mistake you guys are seriously late to the party...

 

[DamnDirtyApe]

Before you sprain your collective wrists from patting yourselves on the back too hard, I think it's only fair to point out that the current German Chancellor is a woman, that Great Britain had Thatcher back in the 80s and that throughout the governments of the rest of the nations of the west, women and non-whites occupy continuously increasing percentages of their respective governmental bodies.

I'm not trying to belittle this achievement in your country's political discourse (on the contrary I applaud it) but make no mistake you guys are seriously late to the party...

How many female ministers of Germany have there been before Merckel? And she has been in office, what a few years? Ok.. so they have 2 years on us. How about France, Spain, Japan, Italy, Russia, China etc? How many female PMs there? I'll give you Thatcher Thats 1. How many has Canada had? 1? besides Chrétien I'm not aware on any, although I could be wrong. India? 1. Considering that females make up 50 percent of population, why aren't 50 percent of those nations' leaders female if they are so far advanced?

We do have numerous women and minorities in lesser leadership roles (Supreme Court, Congress, Pentagon, Executive Branch etc) Things are slow to change, so yea it takes a while. As a straight white male of European descent, I have no problem with the staus quo. I'm sure If I were something else, I'd be anxious for even faster cultural change.

Again, all things considered, America nestles snugly in with the rest of the pack.

 

[CapnG]

How many has Canada had? 1? besides Chrétien I'm not aware on any, although I could be wrong.

Kim Campbell... she was sort of a place holder after Mulroney.

Don't be pissing on "Scrapper" Jean though! He chokes hippies for fun, that defines manhood!

 

[mike]

Dont get me wrong pioneers like Baroness Thatcher or Helen Clark have great credit to take in that regards, But this is an extra special case, it would be like having an aboriginal Prime Minister and a female deputy PM. or a Female PM and a Maori deputy PM.

for whatever reason the American situation gets more coverage world wide. Little girls growing up being told that their tradition means being female makes you a second class citizen, see otherwise . indeed the men who promote such ideas will claim that the fact America the most powerful of nations has always been ruled by men..... thus proving their assertion of mens right to dominate. A female in the oval office blows all of that out of the water.
and the same applies to kids who are told the colour of their skin makes them inferior.... how can that be if the most powerful nation on earth is led by a man whose skin is the same colour as theirs.....


perhaps its because its a double example of the same wonderful principle, perhaps there is a synergy in this particular combo.

every society has its problems and America has its share, but i think at the end of the day her people can be justly proud of a system that results in the candidates we see running for president

 

[DamnDirtyApe]

How many has Canada had? 1? besides Chrétien I'm not aware on any, although I could be wrong.

Kim Campbell... she was sort of a place holder after Mulroney.

Don't be pissing on "Scrapper" Jean though! He chokes hippies for fun, that defines manhood!

LOL you caught that..

 

[mike]

Ha you both missed helen clark, PM of new zealand, which makes my point

The reality of a female or coloured president will reverberate around the world in a way no other example can

 

[DamnDirtyApe]

Ha you both missed helen clark, PM of new zealand, which makes my point

The reality of a female or coloured president will reverberate around the world in a way no other example can

What's New Zealand? Isn't that one of Australian territories?

jk... I spent a year in Wellington. Aside from the weather and lack of american conviences, it was awesome. Cleanest public restrooms I've ever seen! felt like small town America once you get outside of Wellington. Felt so much safer than here in the US. Toured both the north and south island. kicked major ass. Middle Earth all the way.