dayank

Sorry I know this is a brit-expat forum but I am getting a bit desperate to find a place, aside from my living room and with um, myself...

But where is a good place to watch the returns from the US elections in Sydney, preferably in the city or the North Shore on Wednesday?

moneypenny20

I'd have thought the internet would be the best place. However, according to my TV guide, SBS will be showing it via live links with CNN from 2:30 -5:30 Wednesday afternoon.

dayank

Thanks for the reply but I should have probably been a bit more specific...

Are there any pubs etc (ie outside of my living room) where ppl will be watching it together? I know that Manning Bar at Sydney Uni is holding an event on the day but it's a long trek for me to get out there.

Cheers!

moneypenny20

Oh ok. Sorry. However, I have to say I can't think of anything more boring than watching returns from any country, regardless of what nationality I were. I do the voting bit and then get up next morning to find out the result. I do then check the internet to see what happened where. But watching it live

Hope you find somewhere though

MTPockets

President Obama.

Now all that's left is to ensure palin never resurfaces to play any role in international decision making and is consigned to the annals of history (or preferably headfirst into history's anus).

Amazulu

It's a new world order.

Love him or hate him, but I think Obama is going to change America - hopefully for the better.

America is a great country and they need a great leader - and I think he is it.

MTPockets

That’s well put - only worked in NY for a while, but from that experience and american friends I’d agree it is a great country and right now I actually feel quite proud of them.

Amazulu

He ain't Mandela - but this is a Mandelaesque moment.

America is kind of going through what SA went though in the early '90s.

MTPockets

I know what you mean. I don't want to be corny either, but in many ways it's more globally sigificant than SA - although no, he ain't no mandela!

There are many countries in the world where I'm still not sure this could happen yet - including Australia.

Satch_Boogie

My wife, who is American, is desperately unhappy this morning and said this definitely fueled her desire to get even further away from the US. I can't understand, as a Brit, why the rest of the world is so hung up on this particular election. The yanks don't get that hung up on ours...

MTPockets

You mean she's unhappy as a republican? I can only speak for myself re. interest - I'm not necessarily an obama fan but I find high voter turnout anywhere in the world a great thing - even if it's just to spoil your ballot.

It's not just about this election (although I do think it's of huge historic importance) but mostly about how the administration impacts on foreign policy & international relations.

You don't think it's important for non americans?

Satch_Boogie

I never said I didn't think it was important. I just couldn't believe the coverage. And I honestly don't see what was so special this year other than the race of the candidate and that shouldn't matter.

My wife is a registered Democrat and the result upset her as she completely disagrees with most of what Mr. Obama said. But she also understands the inner workings of the US government as the daughter of a former Congressman.

MTPockets

I see your point and I'm sure your wife knows a great deal more about those workings than I ever will. For me - I have american friends so if they're bothered I'm bothered, but the coverage here in Oz hasn't been that extreme really.

As to why it has attracted so much attention on a global scale I think that's:

1) Beacuse US policy so profoundly impacts policy overseas - from possibly increasingly protectionist measures that will affect china's exports to middle east negotiations, from directives over growing russian imperialism (rightly or wrongly) to relations with old allies in europe.

2) So many people still live under oppressive regimes and may also have a warped idea of what america is, that any sign of a truly democratic election - and a black President I guess - is bound to attract interest.

3) The US holds so much sway over international policy. Take climate change (or even just pollution if you don't belive in man-made change). One day I'll have children and I care about the world they'll live in. Protocols driven (or ignored) by the states could shape the future.

As to Obama himself, I have my doubts too...and about Hilary..and about McCain...and definitely Palin.

yanH

Only due to the desire of most western leaders to brown nose as much as possible. If other leaders actually said NO once in a while then the situation would be entirely different. The American Century is over and done with the future is China and India and the European Union (as much as I dislike it personally).

Give it six months and Obama will have proved as much of a disappointment as Rudd. It's easy to spout high minded rhetoric in opposition but once they get into power they soon go native. Clinton was great with promises but where is his great legacy?

MTPockets

I agree, but don’t think it’s that straightforward. US pretty much controls all the world’s oceans (and therefore the flow of international trade) and accounts for 30% of the global economy (larger than the next 4 countries put together). The brown-nosing is basically a product of fear as US actions are calculated to maintain that power and they’re willing to step on toes to do so.

A $13tn economy can absorb a lot of blows. I also think Asia will dominate the future, but the world needs to form stronger coalitions to limit and control the states first or they’ll get trampled. That will take quite a while and has to be done quite carefully or risk enflaming volatile relationships/areas.

And no, I can’t see Obama being able to carve out any miracle solutions either. The ironic aspect is that he seems to have been elected from a ‘social’ perspective, yet that whole agenda will have to be sidelined until the economic downturn subsides. By the time it really does he'll probably be voted out. How will he raise money to action his plans? Issue debt – issuance can’t really get much higher than already planned without becoming counter-productive. Raise taxes – can’t really do that in a slowdown. Print more money – they’re already doing that.