Nothing new here, but I find the historical perspective interesting:
quote:Environics founder Michael Adams noted: “If Canada had been a state in the United States in 1988 and 1992, we would have been a swing state. In the 2000 election, we would have voted like Vermont or Massachusetts. This year, Canada as a whole would vote like inner city Chicago.”
posted 26 July 2008 07:38 AM
My personal experience so far has been that a lot of people who you could say are "progressives" would vote for Obama in order to keep McCain out, not because they want Obama in.
From: Raccoons at my door! | Registered: Jul 2008
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Michelle
Moderator
Babbler # 560
posted 26 July 2008 07:44 AM
Yeah, if I were an American, I'd definitely be waffling between Obama and McKinney. I am not completely against strategic voting and my default would be Obama, but I'd be really tempted to vote McKinney. I felt the same way last election when it came to Kerry. I'd likely have voted Kerry, but I'd have been really tempted to go Green instead.
From: I've got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell. | Registered: May 2001
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Boom Boom
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 7791
posted 26 July 2008 07:51 AM
Obama is coming across more and more as a right wing twit the more I listen to him, especially during his lovefest with Sarkozy which I watched on CNN yesterday (no other network carried the entire news conference/lovefest in its entirety). If Obama wins, and the latest poll I saw on CNN has the race tightening up, with Obama at 43%, McCain at 41%, it will only be because Bush has been such a godawful shitty President and Obama has fooled the electorate into believing he really does represent change.
From: Make the rich pay! | Registered: Dec 2004
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Stockholm
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 3138
posted 26 July 2008 10:08 AM
I have news for you - politicians tend to be very collegial with each other when they meet - even if they are opposite ends of the political spectrum. I'm sure that if Obama came to Ottawa and met Harper, they would both smile for the cameras - regardless of the fact that they might hate each others guts in private.
From: Toronto | Registered: Sep 2002
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Frustrated Mess
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 8312
posted 26 July 2008 11:46 AM
I wouldn't just be voting for McKinney, I'd be working my guts out. Using VoIP, maybe I could even volunteer from here ...
From: doom without the gloom | Registered: Feb 2005
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Boom Boom
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 7791
posted 26 July 2008 11:52 AM
quote:Originally posted by Stockholm: I have news for you - politicians tend to be very collegial with each other when they meet - even if they are opposite ends of the political spectrum. I'm sure that if Obama came to Ottawa and met Harper, they would both smile for the cameras - regardless of the fact that they might hate each others guts in private.
I'm quite sure Obama and Harper will smile for the cameras. But Obama and Sarkozy made it clear they agree on everything that was raised in their news conference (aka: lovefest), and i was particularly struck by their agreement that they need to work together to police the world to bring peace and prosperity to all (okay, I'm paraphasing here, but only because I can't remember the exact words they used). It's obviosu they love each other - they were fawning and pawing at each other. You won't see that with Harper and Obama is my guess.
From: Make the rich pay! | Registered: Dec 2004
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Stockholm
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 3138
posted 26 July 2008 01:08 PM
Keep in mind that someone who is considered right-of-centre in Germany, France or the UK is probably more leftwing than Dennis Kucinich in the US.
Also, people all across the political spectrum in Europe loathe Bush's foreign policy and are terrified of what McCain represents. Sarkozy and Merkel are in love with Obama for the simple reason that he is NOT McCain.
posted 26 July 2008 01:25 PM
No way Stock. Name me one Euro leader who is more left (progressive) than Kucinich. Just one.
From: Inside every cynical person, there is a disappointed idealist. | Registered: Jun 2004
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Stockholm
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 3138
posted 26 July 2008 01:32 PM
Zapatero
From: Toronto | Registered: Sep 2002
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Robespierre
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 15340
posted 26 July 2008 01:57 PM
It's difficult to compare European politicians who are the representatives of a party with a history of socialistic ideas and projects to American "independents" who are left of center. Not saying we can't, not saying we should not, am saying that they're all not the same fish, and obviously the ponds they're in are not alike, either. One could argue that given vast differences between Zapetero and his situation and that of Dennis Kucinich---a politician in the belly of the beast---Kucinich was pretty damn leftist.
You could also say that I'm an opportunist simply using this thread to flirt with Stargazer, but with reglafella gone we all must make an effort to divert attention from very serious and sombre issues, at least some of the time.
From: Raccoons at my door! | Registered: Jul 2008
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Stargazer
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 6061
posted 26 July 2008 03:10 PM
I think we've lost three trolls in a couple of days!
From: Inside every cynical person, there is a disappointed idealist. | Registered: Jun 2004
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Email this thread to someone!
posted 26 July 2008 07:09 AM
