American Presidential Nominees...

[The Statutory Ape]

So for an outside perspective, aswell as inside in Jintian shows, who do you think are the best candidates for the US people and/or what do you think of the choices?

on the side I'm also wondering what you think of Ron Paul.  I've read almost nothing but praise for him but even still I think he's bad news.  it seems as though the people who support him do a good enough job at highlighting his questionable policies (although in a positive light) that his critics don't even need to write detractions.  have any of you seen some good criticisms? even the wiki article on him reads like a campaign ad.

[Art]

The only front runner I've liked the look of so far is Barack Obama. I am pleased to see that other candidates who had looked like they were in with a strong chance are fading such as Hillary Clinton, John McCain and Rudy Giuliani as I dislike all of these.

With a while to go still until the primaries it is likely other candidates will rise and fall in the interim period so perhaps one of the peripheral candidates today will be a front runner tomorrow.

As for Ron Paul, it seems his objective is to gain power solely to abolish the central government or at least to diminish it in size to a level whereby the entire federal gov't would consist of him and a private assistant  . I'm not sure how practical or desirable this would be. It appears he wishes to produce a federal system far looser even than the current EU. Maybe this would be a good thing as US states could then go to war with each other for resources instead of needing to look abroad  but I'd like to see his full implementation plan rather than just the current sound bites and I'd like to hear the arguments for and against before forming an opinion.

[The Statutory Ape]

if you look him up on wiki (though it seems bias in tone) you can get a good look at his general policies since he's been in office and the sorts of changes he would like to see.  some of it is crazy enough that I agree with him though I doubt we'll see cuts in pay for government officials in my life time.
he would like to see the US pull out of the UN and NAFTA.  While I doubt congress would allow it to happen I have seen plenty of support for such things in the sentiment of the people.
he wants to abolish, among others, the federal board of education.  in a time when our country lags behind in education I think this would be a terrible move.  my inner pinko thinks that such things as education and health care are prime interests for the fed and the country as a whole.  again I doubt he'll get far on this but even budget cuts in this direction which he might be able to get away with could be detrimental.
the one thing I think he could muster great support for is legislation to overturn Roe v Wade.  the scary thing is that his last ttempt at this would encompass such things as gay marriage, stem cell research, birth control, and other reproductive rights by putting control of such things in the hands of individual states.  while I applaud the spirit of this putting control in the hands of the states I don't like the idea of things that can be considered basic human rights being left to the whims of the state.  it could set a standard for issues to come. and as you pointed out his strict constitutionalism, in an age hundreds of years past its ratificaton, could degenerate the country back to bickering colonies.  of course that last is a worst case scenario but still.

[The Statutory Ape]

so is there really no one else interested in commenting? :-(
Polly and Shan, I promise not to tell you that you don't know what you are talking about since you don't live here.

[The Smoking Man]

In China, Wiki is blocked.

Most of the rest of the world's attitude is: 'Just as long as it isn't Bush again.'

Really, I wouldn't put it past Bush to come out with a statement saying he didn't really win the first election and that Gore quit making him president therefore, he should be allowed to run for office again.

(If that happened by the way, the rest of the world would actually declare war on the USA.

[Polly]

Well, what bothers me is Bama's experiment with drugs.  Down here, in this tiny place call HK, only the untouchables do drugs.  As soon as it is found out, you are over as a politician, not to mention as an right standing human being.

But I understand it is no biggie in the Master Race's world

[The Smoking Man]

Well, what bothers me is Bama's experiment with drugs.  Down here, in this tiny place call HK, only the untouchables do drugs.  As soon as it is found out, you are over as a politician, not to mention as an right standing human being.

But I understand it is no biggie in the Master Race's world

Bill Clinton smoked ... So??

Guess that makes the little backwater province of HK's sphincter so tight it could snap that broomstick you have up your ass clean in two.

[Art]

It's difficult to get excited about politics these days. Most Western countries have only one ideology and so you are no longer voting for parties and real options, only factions within a party who are identical in substance differing only in presentation and style. America's aggressive foreign policy in pursuit of new markets and influence is exactly the same under a Democrat leader as under a Republican leader. In fact I think Democratic presidents have attacked more countries than Republican presidents.

The parties which traditionally supported workers and their rights sold out long ago to big business and the establishment in return for personal enrichment and membership of the club which is probably why election turnouts are so low these days. Most voters do not see any candidates that represent their views and so stay at home.

[The Statutory Ape]

Well, what bothers me is Bama's experiment with drugs.  Down here, in this tiny place call HK, only the untouchables do drugs.  As soon as it is found out, you are over as a politician, not to mention as an right standing human being.

But I understand it is no biggie in the Master Race's world

it is and isn't.  the republicans are the ones that make such things a big even though many republican politicians are known/suspected to have used cocaine (and been with prostitutes).  they just won't admit it.
many of us just have more respect for someone who is honest about such things.  I have a lot more respect even for the guy who says "of course I inhaled" as opposed to the weenie who says he didn't.
you might find that the politicians in china disgraced due to their drug habits were exposed at the convenience of others.  to get even deeper into conspiracy territory it may even be possible that their fellow party members cultivated their addiction to have as a weapon against them later if needed.  similar things have happened in this country.

[The Statutory Ape]

It's difficult to get excited about politics these days. Most Western countries have only one ideology and so you are no longer voting for parties and real options, only factions within a party who are identical in substance differing only in presentation and style. America's aggressive foreign policy in pursuit of new markets and influence is exactly the same under a Democrat leader as under a Republican leader. In fact I think Democratic presidents have attacked more countries than Republican presidents.

The parties which traditionally supported workers and their rights sold out long ago to big business and the establishment in return for personal enrichment and membership of the club which is probably why election turnouts are so low these days. Most voters do not see any candidates that represent their views and so stay at home.

I've never voted myself.  it seems like a farce.  I only ever have two realistic choices and have never liked either of them.

[Polly]

An interesting read if you have time.

"I am so ready to lead!" People who say this usually lose.

http://www.counterpunch.com/cockburn01042008.html

[shan]

One is a black guy who speaks African English and with drug history,  another is an old woman full of wrinkles and with endless political ambition.

Don’t you have other capable white guys to complete with them?

I guess most white elites are more interested to be Bill Bates but George W. Bush

[The Smoking Man]

Spoken like a true Chinese.

Here you can't vote.

They still have mainly males in government most with a dye job and/or a bad comb-over.

They think of Blacks as all Africans with bones through their noses and drug problems.

Join us in the 21st century shan, if you think you can handle it.

Condoleeza Rice must really piss off the Chinese ... Black, a woman and powerful.

[Art]

Are most Chinese ignorant, bigoted, racist arseholes like Shan or is she an exception? 

[Polly]

I must echo Shan on this.  Women, black men, people who did not have sense enough to stay in the straight and narrow at whichever point in their lives, are not fit to be a leader.

In my mind a leader of a country should be infinitely wise, full of virtues (selfless, disciplined, dilligent, capable of sheer hard work, prudent, hardy etc etc) and competent.

Because a leader steers the helm and we all follow him, he is very important.  Personally I will sneer at any country with a woman leader. Seriously.

Women are inherently, biologically, naturally unfit for this kind of high power job, too emotional, too corruptible, too easily swayed by person feelings, too prone to cry, care too much about human lives (truth be told, sometimes you just have to sacrifice some people in war, in battles, to protect the country) and last of all, too dumb,