non-Americans take on the US elections

[igame]

I don't want to go too off topic but can you point to me where Aus is losing thousands of jobs directly due to the carbon tax? Even Abbott has come out and pretty much said all his doom and gloom was wrong.

OT: I'd go with Obama, I read little on his economic decisions but he has made some terrible mistakes but since Bush for international sentiment for the US has improved in my views. As for Romney, I just can't see myself supporting him. The republican party doesn't hold any of my views and while it doesn't matter at all as I won't be voting, the question was asked.

I got laid off from Rio Tinto. Rio has put all aluminium refineries up for sale (refining alumina causes tons of pollution). Now at BMA, lost 300 people this month so far. All contractors let go, no exceptions. If you talk to any managers who don't have family reasons to stay in Aus, everyone is trying their best to get to Africa. From what I hear from mates in Rio, its the same there. All higher ups are trying to get to africa or get on the Mongolian copper mine.
My company had mines and metal and oil and gas as major businesses, right now the only money coming in is from ONGC, Mines and minerals are losing money bad, especially when you consider China is kinda slowing down.
This global economic climate is the worst time to come up with a new tax....

[Deleted]

He's a Mormon. That should really be enough. He believes Jesus descended 200 (or something like that) years ago in Missouri and told a known con who committed 50 offenses where he can dig up the new Holy book. If i'm also not mistaken, he believes Jesus will return to rule America. One thing i'm sure about is that he posthumously baptized a scientist relative who absolutely hated religion of any kind. He pays 10% of his profits to the Mormon Church ("donates") so he can guarantee entrance to heaven. Yes, you may say Mormons aren't any different than other religions, but no, in the same way Islam is worse than most religions, so is Mormonism. Besides all of that, he seeks to restrict gay rights, secularism, and has openly stated he's an enemy of academic education. If you combine all of that, it's really enough for me to consider him a mentally (or morally) ill person.

Disagree with that. I know well some people not mormons, but Jehova's witnesses who are similar in being a Christian fundamentalist group, with heterodox beliefs, compulsion to proselyte, and called cultists. They are able to separate their religious (cultist) duties well enough from personal and political affairs. To them someone practicing homosexual acts is a sinner, on the same level as someone eating pork meat, and they know how to deal with both.

Romney doesn't appear to me like a religious fanatic, far less than G.W.Bush. He appears to have ruled Massachusetts as a moderate conservative, campaign to the USA as radical conservative... like someone who cares about personal power, and increasing his personal wealth. A crossover of Silvio Berlusconi and Gerhard Schröder. In Iranean terms, more Rafsandshani than Ahmadinedschad

[Catta]

Christian right? Hm. I am a lefty pacifist socialist, but according to the standards of Jesus Christ? He would have called me a luke-warm egoist, I could not follow his radical left-wing path. He said clearly that it is easier for a camel to pass through a needle-hole than for a rich man to enter heaven, and that you should give up everything to follow him. No, I am far too moderate, far too centrist to be able to call myself a Christian. He was rightfully executed as a terrorist, and if I wanted to follow him I would not face capital punishment, as that is abandoned here, but would face jail time nevertheless. No, even if I did believe in a personal god, I would not have the guts, the extreme altruism and radical anti-capitalism necessary to call myself a Christian.

Not sure if awesome - or really awesome...

[Jackmoves]

No, he just had to deal with the collapse of the Twin Towers, attack on the Pentagon, and crash site in PA, nothing major. Katarina, Isabel, know I'm forgetting something else but meh. Bush inherited problems from pussy footing Clinton, who got them from Bush I, who got them from Reagan, who got them from Carter, etc. Put more to blame on Carter than anyone else is recent memory, banning of assassinations by Americans (but you bet we can use Mossad or GSG9 or GIGN or MI6) to do it, rise of radical Islam and the precious little he did to stem it.

The economic recession is still a far greater economic problem. If you are gonna compare debt it's quite important to compare the economic problems, and Obama has had far more to deal with there as the economic repercussions of the recession are far greater. I'm not saying Bush didn't have problems, but they are not of the same magnitude as the 2008 crisis as far as the economy goes.

[Symphonic]

I wish discussing religion was okay to help people understand that Mormons are not bad people and are Christian. Oh well.

[Venziir]

Not sure if awesome - or really awesome...

Awesomesauce.

---------- Post added 2012-08-25 at 08:30 PM ----------

I wish discussing religion was okay to help people understand that Mormons are not bad people and are Christian. Oh well.

No one is saying they are bad people though... Just "special" really.

[saffi]

To the OP: the american dream is a lie, and it has always been that way. A few people getting lucky does not make it true. But I guess, if people are willing to believe that a kid with a multi-billionaire family has just as much chance as someone from the shitty ghettos...You sow what you reap in that case really.

[Venziir]

To the OP: the american dream is a lie, and it has always been that way. A few people getting lucky does not make it true. But I guess, if people are willing to believe that a kid with a multi-billionaire family has just as much chance as someone from the shitty ghettos...You sow what you reap in that case really.

A lie? More like an illusion, the carrot on the stick etc.

[Deleted]

Australia hardly matters on a global level. The United States is still the lone superpower.

Most people unconnected to Australia wouldn't care about the former. It makes no sense for most people affected by globalisation not to care about the latter.

United States a lone superpower?

Typical deluded American. EU, China, Brazil and Russia, you could even argue that Great Britain is still a superpower being the centre of the global financial markets.

[Venziir]

United States a lone superpower?

Typical deluded American. EU, China, Brazil and Russia, you could even argue that Great Britain is still a superpower being the centre of the global financial markets.

Quite so, if anything the US has been leaking it's "super power" the past few years.

[Deleted]

I think the view in the UK is generally that Republicans are idiots.

If a prospective Member of Parliament were to campaign based upon getting rid of the NHS (Obamacare), anti-abortion, or religious values they would be laughed at. I remember the "I am not a witch" advert from last time. I mean fucking seriously? That's not to say Democrats are perfect, but I think 80% of Brits would identify more with them than the Republicans.

[haxartus]

As an European, I would never vote for someone whose political views are based on religion. If you use religion to justify any kind of a political opinion, you are out.
Actually, I would never vote for someone who even mentions their religion in a political campaign.

[Wikiy]

Depends on the moderator. I've received infractions for less and have gotten away with more.

I don't see why i would be infracted. People bash Islam with far worse and don't get infracted.

[Venziir]

I think the view in the UK is generally that Republicans are idiots.

If a prospective Member of Parliament were to campaign based upon getting rid of the NHS (Obamacare), anti-abortion, or religious values they would be laughed at. I remember the "I am not a witch" advert from last time. I mean fucking seriously? That's not to say Democrats are perfect, but I think 80% of Brits would identify more with them than the Republicans.

Quite so, I honestly laughed my ass off when I saw Romney trying to sweettalk Cameron a few weeks ago.

[Wikiy]

No one is saying they are bad people though... Just "special" really.

Exactly. I was simply trying to say i wouldn't want for my president someone who believes in things like that and generally wishes to constrict the rights of other people in such manners while pretending his political party or the fact he's religious allows him to do that. I can't consider such a person normal.

[Venziir]

Exactly. I was simply trying to say i wouldn't want someone who believes in things like that to be my president.

Honestly I wouldn't want a "true" religious person as my leader - but be that as it may.

[shimerra]

As an European, I would never vote for someone whose political views are based on religion. If you use religion to justify any kind of a political opinion, you are out.
Actually, I would never vote for someone who even mentions their religion in a political campaign.

So bigotry is okay but only if it's against religious belief?

[Venziir]

So bigotry is okay but only if it's against religious belief?

Sure why not? After all bigotry is very much excused due to religious beleives.

[zorkuus]

So bigotry is okay but only if it's against religious belief?

How exactly is it bigotry to not vote for someone?

[Bakis]

So bigotry is okay but only if it's against religious belief?

Sane people would label it rational thinking contra lack of such.