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News & politics

The US Presidential Election 2012

(55 Posts)
JessM Sun 04-Nov-12 16:19:57

Not a thread specifically on this. Feels like the rest of us should have a say doesn't it.
When I was in the US this time last year Romney was one of a list of improbable candidates. My democrat friends were disappointed that Obama had not achieved more - but without the backing of congress and the senate his wings were clipped - and he inherited a monumental financial mess. I think Romney, with the backing of both will be very scary for poor people in America and for international relations.
It is difficult to predict the effect of the storm - although the E coast is probably still going to be able to get enough Obama votes in those states as they tend to be strongly Democrat. But media about the storm goes into the mix.
I am wondering what other thoughts GN'ers have now that the election is so close.

whenim64 Sun 04-Nov-12 16:37:57

I hope Obama get elected again. Apparently, it's a close run thing in the USA, but in the UK for every person who wants Romney to win, 10 people would prefer Obama.

absentgrana Sun 04-Nov-12 16:38:39

I think all sorts of things. I can't do anything.

jO5 Sun 04-Nov-12 17:34:37

I wonder if the American media is making it out to be a closer thing than it really is. Just to top up the excitement. hmm

They wouldn't really want a madman as President, would they?

Ana Sun 04-Nov-12 17:39:00

They've come pretty close before....hmm

MrsJamJam Sun 04-Nov-12 18:24:23

I've harboured suspicions for years about the sanity of some Americans. Who they elect this time will either confirm my views - or not!

Since I have no say in the outcome, I refuse to worry about it. Mostly, I succeed.

NfkDumpling Sun 04-Nov-12 18:35:28

A lot of Americans seem to be very, dare I say, ignorant about the depth of the depression the world is in and touchingly trusting in his absolute ability to make everything all better in double quick time so are now disappointed in him. I really hope he gets back in and has the chance to achieve his ambitions, but I fear Romney may get in and we may find ourselves at war with Iran next.

JessM Mon 05-Nov-12 17:22:00

The presidential system tends to foster the messiah syndrome perhaps.
I don't know about sanity - but there does seem to be a strangely naiive midset amongst some republicans.

Nonu Mon 05-Nov-12 17:33:01

Well come tommorrow night , it is S.O.B.

May the best man win

dahlia Mon 05-Nov-12 17:48:11

Guess it is a case of the lesser of two evils. Obama has lacked backbone, I think, but their system may have prevented him from making further changes. He certainly did a lot with the health insurance, although this angered a lot of his fellow Americans - the programme with Matt Frei on Channel 4 last week answered a lot of questions about this.
It is so important to the world who is President: I certainly can't support Mitt Romney, some of his opinions would take us back to the dark ages!

Nonu Mon 05-Nov-12 17:50:13

However, Dahlia it is not in our hands . Unless you happen to be an American ! smile

Ana Mon 05-Nov-12 17:57:10

S.O.B. ? confused

jeni Mon 05-Nov-12 18:12:25

Short of breath?

gma Mon 05-Nov-12 18:21:18

I cannot speak for the rest of the Gnetters, but I am getting a little cheesed off with the coverage on the media of the USA elections. Its the first item on most news programmes and has been for several weeks. Do they get the same coverage from the UK when we have our elections? I very much doubt it.
I find Romney a bit scary, a loose cannon perhaps. I hope that Obama gets back in and can finish the job which he started. How are the folks who have no homes or places where the infrastructure has been severly tested going to cope with voting, maybe theirs will be the votes that make all the difference.
Good Luck America, you certainly need it!!!

Nonu Mon 05-Nov-12 19:13:34

They sure don"t ! we have been over there and it is treated as very minor !

Ana Mon 05-Nov-12 19:15:58

Still don't know what S.O.B means, nonu!

Nonu Mon 05-Nov-12 19:19:26

Really ! smile

Granny23 Mon 05-Nov-12 19:32:16

Nonu maybe that's because whoever we elect will make no difference to the Americans. British PMs of all colours will still do the bidding of the American President. The difference here is that whoever enters the White House, their foreign policy and major economic decisions will have an effect on us.

Ana Mon 05-Nov-12 19:33:34

Well, Son of a B*tch didn't seem to make sense....confused

crimson Mon 05-Nov-12 19:49:35

After the last election I really didn't think that they could find anyone scarier than Sarah Palin; they seem to have excelled themselves this time confused. Left wing as it is, the Observer put forward Condoleezza Rice as a future president a while back..wonder if she'll be running in a few years time? The Americans I speak to on my film forum seem to be as confused by the rise of Romney as we are. I don't worry about it as much as I used to; if Reagan or Bush didn't start World War III I don't think Romney will [?].

Nonu Mon 05-Nov-12 19:51:16

Granny , right on x an. Bit of a hint here ,hesitate as i am a lady but first word shit , any help ? [big grin]

Mishap Mon 05-Nov-12 19:54:23

This is one of the problems of democracy - party leaders are forced to make promises in order to get elected - and when they are, they cannot of course meet those promises - reality kicks in.

I am very concerned at the prospect of Romney - this chap will have so much power and he is not a pleasant human being.

It is interesting that Americans are so basically fundamentalist in their character (or so it seems to me) that they get taken in by these crazy people. Maybe it is part of the American Dream that they have to believe that someone has all the answers.

crimson Tue 06-Nov-12 04:51:03

I think there may be a bit of common sense kicking in. The Tea Party are so right wing it seems they may be stopping a few people voting Republican [especially after this rape/abortion comment]. I'm only going by a snippet I heard on R5 though.

Jodi Tue 06-Nov-12 07:41:37

I disagree that Obama lacks backbone dahlia, it's because he's pushed through so many unpopular social reforms that there is a surge from the far right and that's why you get support for the likes of Romney. But then any nation that 'elected' George Bush junior twice is obviously completely barking. smile

JessM Tue 06-Nov-12 07:56:09

Yes it does matter who wins. If only because Obama cleverer and less likely to draw our troops into one of his wars. Look how wily he was over Libya, holding back so that Europe and Arab League had to take the lead.