Where I realize that politics in America is going to be extremely popular at the mo (in terms of discussing) but I’m really sick and tired of seeing all these political threads. I don’t click on them but it’s so frustrating that the board is clogged with them. I know I dont have to click them but for once I’d like to see a great debate that didnt involve politics! There I said it!!!
My rant is over now! 
I don’t think they’re stupid; they’re an exchange of ideas, just like all other threads on the boards.
I’m debating also sending off an e-mail requesting an “Election USA” forum, for threads specific to that subject (while generic musings like “Should the President have a line-item veto?” could remain in GD). This wouldn’t be because I thought Americans were being rude, just that as every fourth November approaches (and at a seemingly geometric rate), election threads crowd other threads out of GD and the Pit. If this was a sports-heavy board, I’d expect similar crowding as particular sports approached their playoffs, and as far as I know, spinoff forums in no way limits the potential for discussion.
But threads about politics during a time when politics are on people’s minds are not “crowding out” anything. That’s the subject someone wants to discuss so that’s the thread someone starts.
I don’t like to watch the American election battle because of all that mud-slinging. My fiance recently watched a report on (German) TV about the US election battle and he was appalled at the character assasination attempts against Obama; he asked me why the battle was so vicious. (I told him it was quite usual - Kerry had the Swiftboat veterans; because of that terrible American belief that a good politican is one with a good character - instead of one competent at his job - and in return, whatever small sins humans have, automatically renders a politican unable to be elected because people have to be saints, not humans. Probably the strong influence of Fundamentalist Christian memes on US culture).
But I 'm interested in the election itself (not the threads) because whoever is US president, has a lot of influence on the rest of the world - which country will be invaded next? Will global warming be reduced or fueled? GATT, the influence of the UN etc. - no matter how much we dislike, the US is a major power economically and militarily. If only they would use that power for good…
Oh hey, your son got elected in the Papineau riding. I hope you’re proud of him. 
Oh, and just for your information:
We recently had an election for the state parliament here in Bavaria, which was something of a landslide (the ruling consie party, CSU, which was the dark power over the country for the last decades, fell from over 50% to 43% ! Although they will probably simply make a coalition with either the economic-libertarian FDP or the Ex-CSU member party, the Freie Wähler, so same old same old.)
I considered starting a thread about this (and also about election questions, since I worked as a volunteer), but decided that the German Dopers already knew about this from the media, and the non-German dopers probably wouldn’t be interested. Is this correct, or are all the dopers now debating US politics also interested in knowing and comparing other elections, parties and political systems?
Because usually, the average American comes across as arrogantly believing that the US is the only real true Democracy (when it’s not), complelty unaware and uninterested in other possible systems of running a country than, say, a two-party, electoral college, style system, and unwilling to learn, discuss, change or adapt anything that the (holy) Founding Fathers invented (or that comes from foreigners! Gasp! when the US is so unique!)
constanze, I try to read all of the threads on Canadian politics, even if I don’t understand everything. I don’t generally post - what intelligent answer could I provide? But i do like to read.
And that’d be fine if the threads didn’t almost invariably devolve into partisanship, making them somewhat repetitive.
Anyway, I’ll write an e-mail request. Maybe it and ones like it will get acted on, probably they won’t.
constanze, I’d be quite interested to read your German politics thread. And other European politics threads.
I have a son? Was I married? I don’t really remember anything after 1968. But I had the strangest dreams…
This happens every four years, and considering this is a board designed to fight ignorance, I would be surprised if the US Election was NOT the main subject.
Sure, it can get annoying, but as others have pointed out, just don’t click on those subjects.
Anecdotally, my friends in Germany and England and New Zealand are very interested in the election this year. When I call them, they are the first to bring it up and have been following far more closely than I could have ever imagined!
Thus, while this board does seem to go overboard ever 4 years, it is not like the only people who care, or have the right to an opinion, live here in the USA. Some of the very best comments on those threads are by people who give their foreign perspective on the issues.
What do you think of our six-week election cycle? I was watching Michelle Obama on Jon Stewart recently, and she said they had been campaigning for 20 freakin’ months! That’s insane! What’s that saying? “If t’were done, t’were best done quickly.” Call an election, run around mouthing platitudes for six weeks, go to the polls, bim bam done.
I agree. Nothing should take this long to decide. Nothing.
A simple solution:
1 month before the primaries the candidates declare themselves.
The primaries take place on the same day everywhere.
A week later the conventions.
A month later the general election.
2.5 months = Done.
I’d be interested!
Meh. I don’t think the Boards are any more Ameri-centric right now than usual.
I’ve lived here for half my life, and every time I play in one of the Feuds I learn about some odd piece of everyday Americana I’d never heard of before but everyone else has.
Like, what the hell is Candyland?
What are you, some kind of terrorist?
Asking what Candyland is. Sheesh.
I think the fact that it does inflates its importance somewhat: “Of course choosing the President is the most important decision in the world! It took almost two years!”
That and the runaway cult of personality that attaches to anyone who appears on TV these days.
This is one of those things that the Dope distorts though (the great “Doperland” joke again). Hardcore crazy political junkies have been following the Presidential election for two years. Most political watchers only started paying attention when the primaries began in January. And most regular “Joe Sixpack” voters only started paying attention since the Summer.
The only people who have been paying to this for two years are Obama and McCain.
Sadly, whether it’s discussed here or not, I can almost guarantee the pundits of the losing party WILL be discussing what went wrong and how they can fix it for 2012. This will happen no later than The Morning After.
I intend to write my elected representatives to ask how we can surrender ourselves to you guys. Now shouldn’t THAT be interesting???
Except for that whole driving on the wrong side of the road thing.
Driving on the right is wrong (how’s that for a contradiction in terms?).
Anyway, we wouldn’t want you back. You clearly don’t realise that America was used as a dumping ground for all the overtly religious types thus allowing the UK to become a secular society where religion doesn’t get in the way of politics or day to day life - if we get you back we’ll be overrun by people who (gulp) go to church regularly.