# Foreign dopers: Um...how can you stand these boards right now? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 16, 2008, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-dopers-um-how-can-you-stand-these-boards-right-now/468254 "2008-10-16T19:42:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2008, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-dopers-um-how-can-you-stand-these-boards-right-now/468254/41 "2008-10-17T04:37:13Z")
It makes the boards faster to read, I’ll say that much. Probably no coincidence I’ve discovered two other boards in the last month or so and already gotten involved in their social events. ---
**Author:** ![Azhure](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/71c47a/32.png) [@Azhure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Azhure)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2008, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-dopers-um-how-can-you-stand-these-boards-right-now/468254/42 "2008-10-17T05:53:17Z")
Well, I don’t usually go to Great Debates or General Questions, and I skip over political threads in the other forums. As others have said, a politics forum would be nice so I could not go there 😉 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2008, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-dopers-um-how-can-you-stand-these-boards-right-now/468254/43 "2008-10-17T06:45:39Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > What US American politics? I don’t even see it anymore. > 😃 > > (Anti-Canadian condescension? Link, please?) USians treat Canada the same as we Californians treat Oregon: As though they are our less assholeish neighbors to the north where conservatives are actually only slightly socialist. I’d say it is almost racist, except that we think of them as nice polite people we’d rather be. In reality, there are probably just as many dicks as south of the border, but they are dickish about things we don’t care about. And, of course, Canada has people who are dickish even by American standards, but they are probably all virtual citizens by way of the internet. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Quack\_s\_Echo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f0a364/32.png) [@Duck\_Quack\_s\_Echo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Quack_s_Echo)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2008, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-dopers-um-how-can-you-stand-these-boards-right-now/468254/44 "2008-10-17T06:57:34Z")
As an Aussie who’s pretty bloody passinate about my own country’s politics, I think it’s all understandable, particularly with the past eight years’ performance. So I’m just tolerant, knowing it will all soon go away. That’s not to say that I’m not interested in the election outcome. I’m pretty certain the world will be a much better place with one of the candidates but not the other as the successful victor as president of one of the most influential countries on the planet. Anyone with even only a little understanding of international relations will be terribly interested in this US election and will follow it closely. I may even follow the outcomes as the results come in. I’m that committed even without a say in the outcome. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2008, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-dopers-um-how-can-you-stand-these-boards-right-now/468254/45 "2008-10-17T07:16:24Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > My thoughts exactly. And I don’t think it’s going to get any better after the Election, either… there’s going to be _years_ of “What could (loser) have done to win?/What if (winner) did something different at (critical point in campaign)/What if (loser) had won?” threads. > > _ **WE. NEED. A. POLITICS. FORUM!** _ I’ve emailed asking for such a thing. I received a very nice reply, it appears that the powers that be are ::ahem:: looking into it. Yup, I’m totally cheesed off with all the hooha about colonial politics ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2008, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-dopers-um-how-can-you-stand-these-boards-right-now/468254/46 "2008-10-17T08:46:43Z")
> [@chowder](#): > > I’ve emailed asking for such a thing. I received a very nice reply, it appears that the powers that be are ::ahem:: looking into it. > > Yup, I’m totally cheesed off with all the hooha about colonial politics Who did you e-mail, BTW? I wouldn’t mind sending them a polite e-mail myself so they know that you’re not the only one who is sick of the incessant barrage of American Politics on these boards. ---
**Author:** ![footballisplayedwithyourfeet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9f8e36/32.png) [@footballisplayedwithyourfeet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/footballisplayedwithyourfeet)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2008, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-dopers-um-how-can-you-stand-these-boards-right-now/468254/47 "2008-10-17T08:50:03Z")
Actually, it kind of gives the whole election thing a new dimension. Appart from the elections in the Netherlands itself the US elections are by far the most important political event. They even show all the debates and stuff live, and I actually try to stay up for them (till three in the am local time). But there still is a lo’t we don’t ‘get’, for instance, I think they did a poll and about 90% of dutch people would vote for Obama and a similar figure was found when they asked parlemantarians. We just don’t get how McCain (or any republican for that matter)even has a shout. While the Dope seems to be somewhat leftish, it still offers a reasonable amount of conservative arguments. This doesn’t mean that I read all the threads though, I also have a life… ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2008, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-dopers-um-how-can-you-stand-these-boards-right-now/468254/48 "2008-10-17T08:51:31Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > Who did you e-mail, BTW? I wouldn’t mind sending them a polite e-mail myself so they know that you’re not the only one who is sick of the incessant barrage of American Politics on these boards. I emailed Tomndeb ---
**Author:** ![Jennyrosity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@Jennyrosity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennyrosity)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2008, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-dopers-um-how-can-you-stand-these-boards-right-now/468254/49 "2008-10-17T09:05:39Z")
I’m really interested in the US election, and I think it’s right to be, seeing as your choice of President will impact on the whole world. I know we can’t do a damn thing about whoever that ends up being, but I still lthink it’s important to keep up to speed. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2008, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-dopers-um-how-can-you-stand-these-boards-right-now/468254/50 "2008-10-17T09:38:44Z")
> [@Jennyrosity](#): > > I’m really interested in the US election, and I think it’s right to be, seeing as your choice of President will impact on the whole world. I know we can’t do a damn thing about whoever that ends up being, but I still lthink it’s important to keep up to speed. There are other places that can be accomplished than on this messageboard, though. ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2008, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-dopers-um-how-can-you-stand-these-boards-right-now/468254/51 "2008-10-17T09:41:51Z")
Well, I’m actually not very bothered to mildly interested; I’ve always found it rather easy to ignore things I don’t care about, and every now and then I’ll dig into some thread or other, even. That said, I still felt an unusually warm and tingly feeling when one of our main parties recently _just announced_ their candidate for next year’s election. And this was in an unusually dramatic decision! So now I’ve got about a year to come to a – hopefully informed – decision who to give my vote to. And that’s about it! ---
**Author:** ![GSV\_Consolation\_of\_Dreams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f1d935/32.png) [@GSV\_Consolation\_of\_Dreams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GSV_Consolation_of_Dreams)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2008, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-dopers-um-how-can-you-stand-these-boards-right-now/468254/52 "2008-10-17T10:05:33Z")
I find US election season politics fascinating. It’s like a loud argument between the married couple next door. ---
**Author:** ![Silence\_of\_the\_clams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Silence\_of\_the\_clams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silence_of_the_clams)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2008, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-dopers-um-how-can-you-stand-these-boards-right-now/468254/53 "2008-10-17T10:33:16Z")
Apropos the overload of american politics > [@Sunspace](#): > > It’s like watching a car crash in slow motion: disturbing, yet one can’t look away. I could not have said it better myself 😉 ---
**Author:** ![tagos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tagos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tagos)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2008, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-dopers-um-how-can-you-stand-these-boards-right-now/468254/54 "2008-10-17T11:25:34Z")
We are all seriously affected by the US choice of President. If I can’t vote I at least want to follow the issues. I don’t mind all the threads at all and would like Americans to take more of an interest in the rest of the world. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2008, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-dopers-um-how-can-you-stand-these-boards-right-now/468254/55 "2008-10-17T11:34:22Z")
> [@tagos](#): > > We are all seriously affected by the US choice of President. If I can’t vote I at least want to follow the issues. I don’t mind all the threads at all and would like Americans to take more of an interest in the rest of the world. You mean like we’ve done in Iraq, Panama, El Salvador, Nicaragua. . .? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2008, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-dopers-um-how-can-you-stand-these-boards-right-now/468254/56 "2008-10-17T11:50:13Z")
> [@Frustrated\_Wonderer](#): > > Well I´m 2/3 foreign You have three parents? ---
**Author:** ![Jennyrosity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@Jennyrosity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennyrosity)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2008, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-dopers-um-how-can-you-stand-these-boards-right-now/468254/57 "2008-10-17T13:53:24Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > There are other places that can be accomplished than on this messageboard, though. This is true, and I’m following them as well. I can see there are probably more threads on the US election than this board probably needs, but I still find the opinions of those living through it interesting. ---
**Author:** ![puppygod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@puppygod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puppygod)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2008, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-dopers-um-how-can-you-stand-these-boards-right-now/468254/58 "2008-10-17T14:24:04Z")
> [@GingerOfTheNorth](#): > > I simply don’t click on the political threads. I can’t stand them. Me too. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2008, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-dopers-um-how-can-you-stand-these-boards-right-now/468254/59 "2008-10-17T14:51:49Z")
Threads like this are so stupid. Those Americans talking on their American message board about their American politics. How rude! ---
**Author:** ![mudkicker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@mudkicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mudkicker)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2008, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-dopers-um-how-can-you-stand-these-boards-right-now/468254/60 "2008-10-17T14:58:09Z")
Doesn’t bother me; in fact, I’ve been following the threads here and stuff on the news fairly closely. It’s interesting, just for the sake of it, and I find myself quite dumbstruck at the McCain/Palin stuff sometimes. It’s been a very interesting campaign to watch, and every few days there seems to be something else - Troopergate or the Sarah/Bristol baby debate, for example. Also, as Jennyrosity says, the next POTUS will have an impact on us even though we won’t be voting for him. I’m interested in politics and history, but I think it’s the ‘peoplewatching’ aspect of this election that’s interesting me so much. ETA: What GSV and Sunspace said. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-dopers-um-how-can-you-stand-these-boards-right-now/468254.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foreign-dopers-um-how-can-you-stand-these-boards-right-now/468254.md?page=4)