- This topic has 6 voices and 17 replies.
-
Posts
-
Living in Germany, I find it fascinating how the foriegn press is covering the elections. For the most part it is unabashed Obama adoration though I was surprised when a DJ this morning said she supported McCain because she thinks Obama is too slick, I agree by the way, I wouldn't buy a car from him much less vote for him. There is also a lot of celebrity opinion on the news. I guess I am supposed to care what Pink, Madonna, Dido, Robbie Williams, Nicole Kidman, insert celebrity here, etc, ad nauseum thinks about politics. All celebrities do when they spout off their politics is convince me to not buy their products anymore.The other thing that amazes is me is the number of foriegners who think they should be allowed to vote in American elections too. I asked a friend of mine who thinks this if I could then vote in German elections and he was dumbfounded and said no, of course not. I then asked him why he should be abe to vote in America. His answer is that the American election is more important to the world. I sarcastically consoled him on being born in the wrong country. It is going to be interesting to see how this election plays out and how the coverage over here will change.Are they still asking pop stars who we should vote for in the states? Is American coverage still overwhelmingly pro-Obama as it was 3 months ago when I left? Lastly, why should I care what a celibrity's politics are and should it influence my vote?
Are they still asking pop stars who we should vote for in the states? Is American coverage still overwhelmingly pro-Obama as it was 3 months ago when I left?
Yes and yes...probably even more now that it's getting close to election day. I like watching CBS or NBC just to see how biased they are and it's unbelievable. They'll show the speeches, but only critisize the McCain/Palin speeches or take them out of context. The only news coverage not worshipping Obama is FOX.
I didnt think things had changed very much on the past three months. What kills me is that the media acts like I am supposed to care what celebrities think. The average reporter must have a very low opinion of the american and their level of intelligence. The divisiveness in America today sometimes make me worry about the future of our great nation. I bet the nation has not been this divided about anything since the 1850's.
Are they still asking pop stars who we should vote for in the states? Is American coverage still overwhelmingly pro-Obama as it was 3 months ago when I left? Lastly, why should I care what a celibrity's politics are and should it influence my vote?
Yes and yes. One organization that particularly irks me is the Associated Press. On my home page I get a list of "most popular Yahoo stories" and I would say that once or twice a week since September I've seen stories headlined "AP INVESTIGATION: Palin did X, Y, or Z". I have yet to see a single AP investigation on Biden, or even Obama, even thought the latter is particularly ripe for being investigated.Coverage is atrocious. I have been thinking - how can history be framed so that future generations learn that the media has played the role of partisan "PR machine" this election cycle? It is known, of course, that Obama has played up his standing in the world community in his campaign, and that some people view this as a positive thing and perhaps a reason to vote for him. This strikes me as being terribly at odds with traditional American consciousness which finds independent thought and political autonomy to be sacred ideals. Since when do the opinions of Sweden, Germany, or France matter to the American election? How could citizens of those countries possibly know what's best for America if they won't be living under the rule of law as set forth by the American president? There is something rather wrong when foreigners are polled regarding the U.S. election and when that polling affects the voting decision of Americans.And lastly, yes, celebrities are still putting their opinions forth. On one hand, I recognize their right to their opinions since they are citizens of the country, but on the other hand they are getting attention for their opinions based on their entertainment careers rather than any sensible political philosophy. If they are going to voice them, I wish some of them would go on O'Reilly or Hannity and Colmbs to defend their views. Chuck Norris was brave enough to do that when he actually hosted Hannity a while back. Matt Damon, are you listening?
The way the news is framed over here (Germany), they have a stake in the elections because the supposed hyperpower status of the US affects western Europeans and their relations with the rest of the world. I have heard several news commentators seriously suggest that Europeans should get a vote too and it floors me that they really think this. As for celebrities, it wouldnt bother me if so many idiots in the US didnt take them seriously, but people do and that is plain scary. I am still waiting for Alec Baldwin to leave the country after Bush was elected not once, but twice.
Thed way the news is framed over here (Germany), they have a stake in the elections because the supposed hyperpower status of the US affects western Europeans and their relations with the rest of the world. I have heard several news commentators seriously suggest that Europeans should get a vote too and it floors me that they really think this.
That's an interesting theory that they hold about why they should be allowed to vote. I seriously disagree with them, but it's interesting nonetheless. Seems to me what could very well be behind it is a desire to remove U.S. global power so that they (Germans) can have their "will to power" be realized. In other words, "I want to vote in their election so that I can reduce their power and thereby raise our own".
It's not just Germans, the French and British feel the same way. I think they see the US as a bully and they think Obama will diminish US power voluntarily(Ithink they are right here) so it is like seeing us get our comeuppance.
Yes, you are totally right. And add Kenya and a slew of other countries to that list.Our next question should be whether the perception of weakening American hegemony and executive power under Obama will lead to increased aggression by terrorists/foreign militaries against American interests.
Yes, you are totally right. And add Kenya and a slew of other countries to that list.Our next question should be whether the perception of weakening American hegemony and executive power under Obama will lead to increased aggression by terrorists/foreign militaries against American interests.
You bet it will. Perception is everything to Mideastern culture, I saw that at first hand. It is much like anywhere else, often perception has more power than reality. There is nothing like perception of weakness to embolden our enemies. I look for another spectacular terrorist attack if Obama is elected and does what he says because he will foster the image of the US as weak/war-weary and unwilling to continue the fight.
[ I look for another spectacular terrorist attack if Obama is elected and does what he says because he will foster the image of the US as weak/war-weary and unwilling to continue the fight.
Biden already said it would happen in the firdt 6 months.
I tend to tune Biden and Obama out after about five minutes of listening to them. It is beyond belief to me that anyone can think anything they say even makes sense. This doubly confounds me when I see the rest of the world falling in love with the equivalent of the villages two idiots. I find it impossible to trust anyone that thinks they know how to spend my money better than I do, but Europeans are used to that.
Ron Paul remains the best choice for President. But the establishment won't ever let that happen.
Sorry Don, I have to disagree with you here. Ron Paul advocates isolationism which will definitely not work the way world is organized today. Plus, I think he is kind of flaky and scary. Some of the stuff he says sounds like it either came from Ayn Rand or L. Ron Hubbard, neither of which are particularly deep philosophers in my book. Hubbard did write some good fiction though.
The success of National Socialism was based on the charisma of Adolf Hitler, appeal of its absolutist dogmatic ideology and the promise to the German people of a return to the lifestyle to which they had been accustomed prior to World War I. An efficient propaganda operation, under the leadership of Joseph Goebbels, using modern mass media, indoctrinated the masses and fostered the personality cult of Adolf Hitler. The greeting “Heil Hitler” became an integral part of verbal and written interaction and replaced most other forms of salutation. This greeting by itself elevated Adolf Hitler to an ultra-significant other.
Hitler's Assumption of Power in 1933; Mass Media and IndoctrinationThe similarities, especially with a $230 million 1/2 hour TV ad that preempts most regularly scheduled programming, are alarming.Why don't more people see this? Why is everyone not terrified about Obama?
