U.S. Politics

[Big Papa Zone 93]

Just wanted to garner a U.K. perspective on this (and all the prior and future) U.S. presidential elections. They (and in fact the whole political pantomime over there) are the one main gripe I have with the states. The mudslinging and rank hypocrisy that abounds is truly mind-numbing. And it's not just the politicians, either: all you have to do is pop over to the off topic forum on this fine website, and read the ever increasing number of threads in which posters are slagging each other off with vengance!!

Discuss.............

[Damian&Kelly 16]

I'm the USC here but my husband asked me why they tell the public how bad the other candidate is instead of telling the public what good they can do for America. Every advert here is each candidate putting each other down and using quotes out of context.

My husband is very annoyed with the government and politics here. He says that our media is so controlled compared England. He's always wanting world news and here we just don't have it like England. He's been having to listen to UK radio stations for the world news.

[sunnybear 0]

I am the USC and all I gotta say is I HATE politics and try to stay out of all of it as I don't trust any of them to do anything to help the American people at this point.

[MargotDarko 0]

Not every ad is negative. There's one positive McCain/Palin ad and quite a lot of positive Obama ads.

[Jeraly 4]

I detest politics - I know I should care about it more than I do but I find it hard to trust someone who is basically just trying to get a vote... While I don't doubt that their underlying intentions are good (that is, that they can do the best job for their country) I have my doubts about the integrity of campaigns when so much is at stake for them.

And that goes for UK politics as well - I like to sit on the fence

[VisaJourneyLady 33]

I feel that the new media here is deathly afraid of boring people with political detail. I remember in most elections at home and in the UK the parties usually publish papers outlining their plans, what they will increase funding for, and where the money will come for. Sure it's not something they always stick to, but they put out a detailed plan. I have no idea if either party has done that in this election, because I think that the news would simply not cover it in a way that would be helpful. They just keep repeating some keywords that mean nothing, and most of the time, you're left none the wiser. It drives me batty.

[ginger1981 0]

I'm just sick of this election. It's not a secret I'm an Obama supporter, but the volley between both sides is just...disenheartening. I think the media has been doing a horrible job. I could care less about lapel pins or whether someone went to 4 different colleges or what not. I just want an answer to the economy, or a real plan about the war in Iraq or health care. I'm sure that info could be out there, but I want to hear it from the candidates themselves.

*sigh*

[MargotDarko 0]

I feel that the new media here is deathly afraid of boring people with political detail. I remember in most elections at home and in the UK the parties usually publish papers outlining their plans, what they will increase funding for, and where the money will come for. Sure it's not something they always stick to, but they put out a detailed plan. I have no idea if either party has done that in this election, because I think that the news would simply not cover it in a way that would be helpful. They just keep repeating some keywords that mean nothing, and most of the time, you're left none the wiser. It drives me batty.

I haven't seen the detailed plans in papers in the UK that you're talking about, but I consider this to be really quite in-depth -

http://www.barackobama.com/issues/

This isn't as in-depth and is more sound-bitey, but is still something -

http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/Issues/

[no name 1]

And that goes for UK politics as well - I like to sit on the fence

Why? Don't you care about your future? Your kids? Your neighborhood?

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

My husband has compared the tribalism you get with partisan politics over here with a football rivalry like Man U-Liverpool. It's emotional, it's a grudge match and one side will just hate the other no matter what. All that's missing is a fight down the pub.....

[VisaJourneyLady 33]

Mabye the personality let election season has something to do with the fact that the Presidential election is all about election one person and their running mate, whereas General Elections have the local aspect too. You might hope that one party ends up in Power, but in your local constituency the best candidate have more faith in someone from the other party. You never directly decide the Prime Minister, so the party has to sell the overall party more than individuals. Just a theory.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

I was only a kid, but I don't recall the 80 and 84 elections being particularly nasty. I think the 1988 election is the one credited with bringing the nasty partisanship you see today.

[Jeraly 4]

And that goes for UK politics as well - I like to sit on the fence

Why? Don't you care about your future? Your kids? Your neighborhood?

Sure I do - but it all gets so snipey and generally out of the two most popular candidates there are always good and bad points to the extent I would find it hard to choose - I would like to take more interest in local politics where I feel personal and relevant issues are addressed in the locality and to have that build the bigger picture. Our local MP back where I lived always did a great job, yet if anyone were to ask me who I supported or whether I was liberal, conservative or labour I couldn't honestly answer.

I mean - Blair was all about education and after spending four years training to be a teacher I realised that it was more about proving yourself as a professional and filling in paperwork for the government to check up on you than about the quality of education that the children were receiving - no matter what "policies," "interventions" and whatnot were implemented.

I just feel like if I wanted to get into a huge political debate I would join a club - I have my own views and opinions, I just choose not to get fired up over it.

[bakofoil 27]

Mudslinging goes on in UK general elections. Party-political broadcasts, Question time and so forth give plenty of opportunity to slate the opposition.

I suppose here, I am not surprised by the dirt-digging so much as how partisan the media is. My husband hates Fox news but it is interesting to watch the blatant liberal-bashing. Same with MSNBC - we are an Obama household, even our dog is an Obama supporter . Anyway, my husband watches Keith Olbermann religiously and we especially like his end messages, however, I keep pointing out to him that it's pointless because the only people watching Countdown are the ones who don't really need converting.

[VisaJourneyLady 33]

I agree that there's no shortage of mudslinging in the UK too, but and I could be remembering with rose coloured glasses, there seemed to also be at least a reasonable amount of discussing actual plans for the UK. They often don't bother with the plans once the election over, so it may be futile anyway, but I think that there's more detailed discussion of issues.