simongb

Republincans often use the arguments like 'you need to pull yourself up by the boot straps' and 'I started with nothing and now look at me" (Donald Trump etc) to support their selfish backward thinking ideas. To focus on a SMALL percentage of the country that have money and success and base your policies on those people is naive and, in my opinion, heading for disaster. Issues of class and poverty (which is terribly extreme in this country, almost third world) are concerns that are mostly ignored in the day to day media circus we watch on TV. Working class people are forgotten. They often work three jobs just to make ends meet. They are kept going with the dangling carrot of the "American Dream" and many give up (drugs, crime) when they realise that the Dream is not for them. This is why I vote Democratic. The Democrats don't offer all the solutions I would like to see, but at least it's a step in the right direction. The Republicans are just a nightmare that never ends IMO.

Giantaxe

None other than the WSJ did a series a couple of years ago on how social mobility was now less in the US than in western Europe, with cost and access to healthcare and college being two large factors. For a society that likes to think of itself as egalitarian, that's a pretty shocking indictment.

frrussre

Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
I seem to remember, the Americans taking the pee out of the Euro. Funny, Euro, should now be the international currency.

Reg. Frank R.

Thydney

We never do. You only vote for an MP

YankeemovingAbroad

Excellent post!!!!

sime303

Exactly Thyd, I have had to explain this to quite a few people. They do ask and are quite interested as it is so different to American elections. They didn't realise we vote for our local MP and then the party with the majority (can't remember the exact numbers) gets to run the Government and pick the cabinet. It does take some explaining about the whole leader of the party being the PM thing though.

frrussre

YMA, are you salivating?
Reg. Frank R.

Jerseygirl

Yes they do...I should have said there wasn't a general election.

sime303

I believe this too. I also think it can go the other way as well. With Clinton and Obama still duking it out then some Dems. will switch to the Reps. to vote McCain. I think he is a lot more moderate compared to most Reps. (even though I lean slightly right of centre most of the Reps. scare the hell out of me) and seen as an alternative to Clinton and Obama.

elfman

any time people mention Gordon Brown coming to power without a general election as if it's somehow unique to Britain they should be reminded that Gerald Ford became president of the USA without the electorate ever voting for him.

YankeemovingAbroad

Just giving credit where its due.BTW,you better get on board for the general election.I respect your loyalty for the Clintons.But Obama nor Clinton are more important than protecting our future.

Voting for a John McCain led republican party is very dangerous for young people serving in the military.I can't vote to send more kids to their demise for a war that was started because of weapons of mass destruction.

sime303

To be fair to Ford though, he never ran the budget for Britain before he took office. He also didn't scheme his way into the Presidency.

frrussre

Ok, YMA, just for you.
Reg. Frank R.

frrussre

He was to busy falling over
Reg. Frank R.

YankeemovingAbroad

I'm a work in progress to like you