2012 US Presidential Election

[geococcyx]

Originally Posted by Lightness

2) This whole thing ties into the protecting the borders bit. The US is naive to think that it will stay the same and its democratic system intact when its southern border is not protected. Decades from now the south Western part of the US will convert back to Mexico, at least culturally, but maybe also politically.

That would be good, but I doubt it will happen.

Originally Posted by Lightness

Why does the US patrol the borders of Korea and Iraq when it can't even control its own borders? The future of the US is not decided in the Hindu Kush, it will be decided on the Rio Grande.

Indeed, they can´t control who comes in and out of their country. So they are either inept, incompetent or corrupt.

Originally Posted by Citystyle

That’s because it is racist.

The USA should secure it's borders, but not because of ethnics issues but for security and social welfare issues. A large influx of immigrants that live below the poverty line in Mexico and come into the US isn't going to do the country any good.

Plus they are open to exploitation. If the Mexican community wants to be taken seriously they should be asking for a secure boarder and naturalisation of all illegals currently living in the US.

That seems to be a problem from the past. There is a thread about it in the Skybar news section: Report finds wave of Mexican immigration to U.S. has ended

I hope it is really the end of it.

Goodbye and greetings to Australia.

[NoshowwithoutPunch]

Originally Posted by Lightness

Dr Ron Paul is fighting back and could theoretically still win the primaries. He's now won the delegates of Iowa, Minnesota and Washington state, and could win a heap of others before this is over. This could be the comeback upset of the decade.

As per usual, the controlled media outlets in the US are not reporting on this and instead declaring Romney a winner, so this lovely story is brought to you by the unbiased friendly guys at RussiaToday:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXMUCmU2evI">YouTube Link</a>

Btw, those of you who want the real story about what's going on in the US and especially the Middle East switch on to RussiaToday instead of the biased news channels you get from Europe and the US.

Id like to see Ron Paul get up. The only polly there with integrity.

[NoshowwithoutPunch]

Originally Posted by Lightness

Dr Ron Paul is fighting back and could theoretically still win the primaries. He's now won the delegates of Iowa, Minnesota and Washington state, and could win a heap of others before this is over. This could be the comeback upset of the decade.

As per usual, the controlled media outlets in the US are not reporting on this and instead declaring Romney a winner, so this lovely story is brought to you by the unbiased friendly guys at RussiaToday:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXMUCmU2evI">YouTube Link</a>

Btw, those of you who want the real story about what's going on in the US and especially the Middle East switch on to RussiaToday instead of the biased news channels you get from Europe and the US.

Have found al jez pretty good too compared with western sources, esp australian ones.

[Lightness]

Originally Posted by NoshowwithoutPunch

Have found al jez pretty good too compared with western sources, esp australian ones.

It could be argued that al Jezeera did give an alternative point of view a couple of years ago, but nowadays it pushes exactly the same Arab-spring-bullshit message as all the other ones. In fact, al Jazeera together with the Muslim Brotherhood-financing Qatar government are at the very forefront of pushing the state-toppling exercise in the Middle East. All to pave the way for Islamism of course. And our naive lovey-dovey journalists in the West are of course swallowing the bate...

[manrush]

Originally Posted by Lightness

It could be argued that al Jezeera did give an alternative point of view a couple of years ago, but nowadays it pushes exactly the same Arab-spring-bullshit message as all the other ones. In fact, al Jazeera together with the Muslim Brotherhood-financing Qatar government are at the very forefront of pushing the state-toppling exercise in the Middle East. All to pave the way for Islamism of course. And our naive lovey-dovey journalists in the West are of course swallowing the bate...

You seem like a racist.

[NoshowwithoutPunch]

Originally Posted by manrush

You seem like a racist.

Where.

I have seen lightness being racist before, but this post seems quite unracist. No link between al jez, arabs, islam or the brotherhood and the concept of racism.

I wouldnt have even described his post as anti islam.

Fair comment to point out qatar has its own reasons for what it does.

[jackso]

Getting into proper campaign mode now. Paul Ryan selected as Romneys running mate.

[Solopop]

I'd hate being in the US, atm.

Horrible candidates all round, hope either Hilary Clinton or Ron Paul has a go next election. Wouldn't mind Al Gore, but that isn't going to happen.

[manrush]

Yeah, Mittens Romney has signed his political death warrant.

[Lightness]

Excellent choice by Romney! Romney realises that he has to build a counter-weight to the neoconservative cabal in his foreign policy team and to the big spending Republican establishment.

I think Romney will step up his effort in the area that matters, which is that the US is spending itself to death.

After initially having some doubts, maybe Romney can bring hope and change after all.

[BSD]

Obama will stay. He is too hot favourite, especially with ObamaCare.

[Mornnb]

Originally Posted by Solopop

I'd hate being in the US, atm.

Horrible candidates all round

Could be worse, you could be in Australia and have to choose between Gillard and Abbott!

[Lightness]

I don't think Julia and Tony are worse. At some level both of our candidates understand that you can't spend more than you've got. It is not entirely clear to me that either Obama or Romney understand what a precarious situation the US finds itself in.

[hornetfig]

Originally Posted by BSD

Obama will stay. He is too hot favourite, especially with ObamaCare.

huh? That's a deeply divisive policy. Certainly doesn't win Obama many right-leaning voters.

Originally Posted by manrush

Yeah, Mittens Romney has signed his political death warrant.

By selecting a boring career politician? As like every media report written about this points out, this is purposely the exact opposite of Sarah Palin. Palin was the ultimate death warrant candidate.

[Mornnb]

Originally Posted by Lightness

I don't think Julia and Tony are worse. At some level both of our candidates understand that you can't spend more than you've got. It is not entirely clear to me that either Obama or Romney understand what a precarious situation the US finds itself in.

Ohh yes they do, but they operate in a very different system. A Prime Minister has a lot more political power than a President. Obama doesn't control the house of reps, where Gillard has full command over all her parties members. That makes things a lot easier for her.
Obama is well aware of the situation the finances are in, but he can't make congress do anything about it, he can only advocate for solutions. He's powerless to fix the problem. At most he can veto bills the republicans in the house pass, and he can not direct the democrats to vote for his policies. In the US congress every vote is what we would call a conscious vote. Many a president has failed to push a reform due to lack of support from his own party! George Bush for example, couldnt get his own republicans to vote for his guest worker program for Mexican illegals. Obama couldn't get enough democrat support for a carbon tax.
It's a lot easier to get things done in our system.
Worrying is how the US is looking a lot like the Roman Empire did in its last days, with an inflexible and corrupt political system that is resistant to any reforms of sigificance.

[Lightness]

Indeed, another similarity with a falling empire is that throughout history a great empire has generally stumbled when it starts to pay more on servicing its debt than it spends on its military. The US is now in a position where the cost of paying interests on its loans is bigger than the defence budget.

Another sign of a falling empire - and one of the main reasons for the fall of the mighty roman army - was that its own population was no longer signing up for the military. Increasingly Americas wars are fought by private companies and foreign recruits. The reason for that - just as it was in Rome - was a sinking birthrate and a pampered generation of youngsters who sees personal ventures and hobbies as more important than the continuation of the civilisation.

[Youngplanner]

From 7:30. "Bible belt tests Republican faith in Romney"
http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2012/s3579843.htm

[ryan79]

Its a scary world out there.

Originally Posted by manrush

Yeah, Mittens Romney has signed his political death warrant.

One would hope.

[Locke]

Surprise surprise, first debate over and Romney came out the clear winner:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-19825263

http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/04/politi...html?hpt=hp_t1