US left = Norwegian right
Submitted by mediumgeek on Tue, 04/03/2008 - 21:20
I had written a long entry about how left winged American polititcs are actually to the right of Norwegian right winged politics when looking at the political landscape as a whole. I had added in some harsh words and judgements about certain parties but I have become so horribly politically polite that I don't feel like posting it.
I need to go and work on my political impoliteness but until then I just want to say one thing as tonight's Democratic election could decide who will be their candidate.
"Go Hillary"!
Florida once again
By the way, I just read it is possible that the preliminary Democrats elections in Florida (!) and Michigan will be rerun, due to internal political issues and that not both candidates could attend and campaign at the time. The re-election would take place in June.
Isn't it a bit comical that Florida is one of those states? One would almost suggest that the UN should send observers to that particular state to ensure that the elections are executed as supposed to... ;-)
No matter if you're white or black?
The democrats really have an interesting scenario: a white woman or a semi-black man. I write semi-black because his mother is a white American and his father came directly from Kenya (?) to study in the US in the 1960's, so Obama probably isn't raised according to a typical Afro-American community. Hillary is the more experienced, but also carries the weight from her husband.
I read that Hillary had suggested a vote bill with both names printed on it. How would that work, doesn't every party (not only republicans and democrats, although they're the only two that count) nominate one candidate each? It could be rather confusing if the democrats in total got more votes than the republicans, but John McCain individually got more votes than either of Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. Add to that the electorial type of voting in the USA that already screws up the voting result somewhat (Al Gore got more votes total than George W. Bush, but not enough electors).
Another thought would be to split the democrats to two parties, but only the republicans would gain on that move.
Can't they just team up?
It is very sad that it really impossible to start a new political party in the Status since it will always just ruin one of them. There is a theoratical possibility if that party was right in the middle of the Republicans or the Democrats and stole some from both...
I am hoping that Obama and Clinton team up for the race against the Republicans with one of them as vice president. Lets hope they don't go on for too long fighting so they get too angry at each other :)
Is there room for one more?
I strongly doubt Clinton and Obama would team up, no matter how similar their political views are. What does a vice president do anyway? There was some speculation that Hillary might nominate John Edwards as her vice president candidate. I'm unsure at which point this nomination takes part though, as it seems first the party has to choose one candidate to run for the title.
Are you implying there is some political space between the Democrats and Republicans? ;-) From an European point of view it seems very narrow, but perhaps I don't see all aspects and differences in US politics.
I suppose if there emerges some very skilled, independent politican with his or her own party, either of the established parties would recruit him/her within the political viewpoints they have in common. It seems already today the different candidates in each party has quite some room for personal views, so while the party program may set a general direction, the personal influence may steer decisions either way.
And many weeks later mediumgeek finally checks her blog...
Yes, yes both of them are very similar but if you listen to couple of debates you will see that the Republicans are crazy and the Democrats are ... well... almost sane... or at least to a slightly right-biased European person like me :)
You are right that they allow a certain room for their people to have their own personal view. Even our friend Arnold often gets accused of being a closet Democrat :)
It makes sense. If you don't do that you will end up with a party that is too extreme. You see this in Norway in all the major political parties. It is only the suckers furthest to the right and left that don't seem to dare have a sensible opinion that is in conflict with their narrow minded parties :)