Global questions for non-Americans

Questions:

  1. Does the rest of the world realize how significant American foreign policy is affected by public opinion?

  2. Do the French or the British (or anyone else) poll themselves to the same extent that Americans do to take the pulse of their electorate ?

  3. Does the rest of the world hold their breath awaiting the result of the American presidential election.

  4. Does anyone realistically think that Kerry can get the French and the Germans and the Russians to put out their fair share to stabalize Iraq?

  5. Do you think that Americans are a bunch of idiots ?

By and large, yes. Ours is affected in the same way.

Yup.

Yep. Much more so than other recent presidential elections.

Nope.

Yep. :smiley:
OK, so I’ve given you some sweeping generalisations. Basically, many people find many aspects of American politics, from the flag-waving conventions to the personalised attacks on opponents to the pervading religiosity, to be very alien, and very unappealing.

Oh, and expanding on no. 4 - most people don’t see that those countries have a ‘fair share’ to pull, given that they didn’t want to destabilise Iraq in the first place.

I’d say yes.

Yes (of course it is hard to compare precise numbers, but we have polls on all kinds of topics, all the time)

Yes, and a lot more than before the last few elections.

I won’t comment on the “fair share”, but German troops or payment for troops: no way; civil reconstruction programs are possible under the right circumstances.

1. Does the rest of the world realize how significant American foreign policy is affected by public opinion?

Yes, we do. I’m sad to say.

2. Do the French or the British (or anyone else) poll themselves to the same extent that Americans do to take the pulse of their electorate ?

Not quite the same, but similar.

3. Does the rest of the world hold their breath awaiting the result of the American presidential election.

Surprisingly: Our main TV news commented on the fact that most of the Dutch have lukewarm feelings over the whole hysteria. Like with many issues: We’re too easy-going to care much. And we’re not too sure either Kerry or Bush will make much of a difference.

4. Does anyone realistically think that Kerry can get the French and the Germans and the Russians to put out their fair share to stabalize Iraq?

I don’t really think so. Maybe if he kissed ass very hard and lovingly.

5. Do you think that Americans are a bunch of idiots ?

Certainly not.
I can’t speak for all my country-men, but I’m willing to bet that most Dutchies admire and love Americans.

I’ll answer as an Australian resident in the US.

Yes – this is what happens in democracies.

Perhaps not quite as often as Americans are being polled at the moment, but yes, they do.

Yes. A US presidential is always important, but given the interventionist policies of the current administration, this one is more important than most

You know, I thought they did quite a lot to try to stabilise Iraq before the US invaded. They said that sanctions appeared to be working, and there was no evidence that Saddam had WMDs. Then the US decided to destabnilise Iraq. Are you advocating that the French, Germans and Russians should have sent to troops to fight against the army that was destabilising Iraq, and get it out of the country?

Not all of them – Senators Kerry and Edwards aren’t idiots. And on the other side of politics, Senator McCain and Secretary Powell seem like reasonable men to me.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes and no. We know the outcome will be important globally, but at the moment we’re just waiting for the saturation coverage to GO AWAY. There are international dopers I know of who are staying away from the SDMB at the moment for this very reason.

I don’t.

No, but I think your wealthy society has created a subsection of the population comprised of slacker dudes who don’t give a shit simply because they don’t have to as long as they have their SUVs and microwaveable popcorn.

US citizen residing in Japan for the last 9 years.

  1. I don’t know. If they don’t, that may be a good thing, given how many folks like American people but are pissed at the American government.

  2. The makeup of the parliament just barely reflects how the citizens here even voted, let alone what their opinions and desires are. The elected here are completely disconnected from the electorate, and sadly the electorate has long since accepted it.

  3. Yep, more so than their own elections, probably.

  4. Fair share? If you’re asking whether he can talk them into helping out, I’d say probably yes.

  5. The general public in Japan? No. Me personally? As much as I’m given to head-shaking and eye-rolling, I’ll say no, but…

  1. I didn’t until you pointed it out. Are you saying that Bush’s foreign policy is the result of the nation sentiments?

  2. Australians do.

  3. Yes. I eagerly await to see whether we are doomed to another 4 years under a warmonger.

  4. I think that the French and Germans have stated that relationships between countries will be less rocky if Kerry were elected.

  5. Only the half that voted for Bush. (Of course, its easy to say in retrospect)

  1. Does the rest of the world realize how significant American foreign policy is affected by public opinion?

Yes, it was quite disturbing the extent which the obsession with security dominated over far more deep rooted and fundamental american ideals

  1. Do the French or the British (or anyone else) poll themselves to the same extent that Americans do to take the pulse of their electorate ?

Australia, I think does to a similar extend as does any modern democracy.

  1. Does the rest of the world hold their breath awaiting the result of the American presidential election.

Yes, very much so.

  1. Does anyone realistically think that Kerry can get the French and the Germans and the Russians to put out their fair share to stabalize Iraq?

Possibly, depending on the tack he takes. It seems to me though that he’s far too beholden to the electorate to be able to enact the sweeping gestures neccesary to get foriegn countries on board.

  1. Do you think that Americans are a bunch of idiots ?

Yes, but I think most of the world is filled with idiots. There are obviously some smart people as the board has shown but the problems with a democracy anywhere is that the idiots get an equal say. However, I think there are unique structural elements to american society which tends to produce more of a certain kind of idiot. The bible belt is a uniquely american construct and american insularity and it’s emphasis on anti-intellectualism in popular culture horrify me.

Questions:

  1. Does the rest of the world realize how significant American foreign policy is affected by public opinion?

Yes. It’s rather surprising, actually.

  1. Do the French or the British (or anyone else) poll themselves to the same extent that Americans do to take the pulse of their electorate ?

I don’t think they do in Canada as much - before elections polls are done to see which party is in the lead (if that’s what you mean), but the rest of the time public opinion polls seem to be asides on the 6:00 news

  1. Does the rest of the world hold their breath awaiting the result of the American presidential election.

Well, I think we’re interested, but I’m not sure I would say “Holding our breath.”

  1. Does anyone realistically think that Kerry can get the French and the Germans and the Russians to put out their fair share to stabalize Iraq?

Well, Kerry seems somewhat more diplomatic than Bush - I’m not sure if he can get people to pony up $$, but he may be able to at least get them to consider it (which I don’t think that Bush can). I don’t think Canada will participat in Iraq for a couple of reasons - firstly, we’re already in Afganistan and Haiti, which is taking quite a bit of our time. Additionally, I don’t think the populace or the politicians in Canada really agree with the whole Iraq thing anyway.

  1. Do you think that Americans are a bunch of idiots ?

Americans as a whole? Nope, not at all.

Certain high-profile Americans? Yep.

  1. Yes. We are well aware of this fact.

2)Yes. We see the polls about our own govt. We don’thave an election due till next Nov, yet we have polling info delivered almost daily. We also have to sit through the polls about who Aussies will vote for (very soon) and just about everyone else about to have an election. Obviously the American election will be watched from start to finish.

  1. Yes. Very much so. I hope Americans realise how much their vote affects everyone else.

  2. Are they obligated to help? I thought they were in the “this is a bad idea” corner. How much would anyones “fair share” be?

  3. No. But I might reconsider if Bush wins.

I think the most basic American ideals are as stated in the Declaration of Independance: the right to “life, liberty and the persuit of happiness”. Seems to me you can’t have the 2nd two without the first. That would explain the “obsession” with security.

Don’t want to hijack, but I’m not sure people overseas understand how very deeply the shock of 9/11 went. It changed a lot of worldviews, fundamentally.

And not for the better.

Originally posted by Mehitabel

I think I do understand.
I was online, talking to an American friend when it happened. :`(
I saw our TV news woman crying when the tower collapsed.
It’s something I’ll never forget and it makes your changing worldviews - and mine - quite logical, imho.

So do many Americans.

I do, and most people I know do, but I’m not sure the rest of the world does, or if it does, it’s in a negative sense. If the perception of US foreign policy is negatively perceived outside the borders of the US, you have to choose between “that damn President”, or “dumb Yanks”, neither of which are particularly pleasant. Myself, I see 50% of the country powerless in the face of the other 50% - moreso than in previous terms of office, because the current policies are so extreme.

Yes indeed, but it’s proportionate. I think there’s a scale thing - there are many more media outlets in the US that can afford to commission polls; therefore you see a lot more results. Similarly in the UK there are more polls than in Ireland, because of the relative differential in population size.

More crucially than ever. The Irish and British news has been featuring the campaign as a near-top story in practically every news bulletin for the past few months, and it’s only going to get worse.

“Fair share” is a misnomer. However, I believe that with Kerry in office there would be a softening of the French, German, and possibly Russian, positions towards assisting, in comparison to now. That said, I don’t even think Kerry would have to utilize much diplomacy - all he’d have to do is stand there not being Bush, and their position would soften.

Certainly not. There are total idiots in every country and culture. That said, your idiots have better and more vocal outlets for their idiocy, so we foreigners get to see a lot more of it, leading to an unfair perception amongst some.