I have never really understood American politics. Never understood how an allegedly educated country could possibly elect as its president someone who failed to remember the names of other world leaders during a TV interview, and certainly never understood how someone who lied about never having had sexual relations with a White House intern could possibly be allowed to remain president after being found out.I could go on. I don't understand, for instance, why people of a generally Christian worldview like myself tend to vote for centre-left parties in the UK, but invariably vote for the Republicans in the States.
So because I don't get American politics, and because I don't really want to take the trouble to try to get it, I am hereby declaring this blog a Mid-Term Elections Free Zone (a former editor of mine will appreciate the irony.)
For those of you who feel compelled to know more of what is going on over the other side of the pond, and what it might mean for us back home, I direct you to the BBC, to PoliticalBetting.com, and the good people at Blairwatch.
5 comments:
That's a welcome relief, Paul - anyone who heard this morning's Today programme could be forgiven for assuming that there was nothing more interesting or important going on in the world.
Understand your incomprehension but what happens in USA is so important we just have to take an interest. And right now, if you are a non Bush person- as most Brits are- today is a real red letter day. So some reason at least to take a little bit of interest. John Snow was positively oozing delight on Channel 4 News from Washington this evening.
Well done,Paul. Have to confess I dabbled in it - US readership and all that - but the received wisdom appears to be that neither party over there is much shakes.
Why is it so important, Skip? Why does the Democrats taking the House of Representatives change anything about how the Blair administration conducts itself over here?
US influences the whole state of the world affacting such things as:
a) Middle East policy- in which we have become embroiled.
b) War on Terror, socalled -in which we have become embroiled also in Afghanistan.
c) attitude to global warming by denying any manmade influences.
d) attitude towards UN which affects chances of achieving peace and admistering aid programmes- current US ambassador to UN thinks it ought to be abolished.
It follows that who is in White House and who controls Congress directly affects our national and international interests as well as every other country in the world.
But in addition to that, Bush's government has been markedly reluctant to reciprocate on things like extradition-remember the Natwest 3?- and providing us with scientific back-up for the next generation of fighters we are currently buying from them because they don't trust us with the information. Finally, we are under pressure top buy the next generation of Trident when we arguably don't need the sodding thing. I could go on..
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