Do you care? Should you care? Are you a bit of a git for caring?
Well, the people of the United States of America are currently using those weird machines they use instead of just using a pen like everyone else does in order to elect their leader for the next 4 years.
Who do we want to win? Barack Obama? Mitt Romney? Ron Paul? Roseanne Barr? And more importantly, how bothered are you? I've always found the fact that so many British people to be far more into US politics than UK politics to be an interesting phenomenon. How many people can't name their own MP for instance? (Susan Elan-Jones MP, Clywd South. You won't catch me out folks). Maybe it's becase US politics is more exciting than the UK? They had Hollywood Reagan and Bill Clinton playing saxophone, and we had Rhodes Boyson's sideburns and Douglas Hurd. Even though, Barack Obama being all pally with Springsteen and calling Kanye a jackass after he let Taylor Swift finish is infinitely cooler than Call Me Dave Cameron doing whatever he does. Listening to Adele probably. Actually, probably the bloody Lightening Seeds.
I've been reading today a lot about British snobbery. And it's definitely in the air. Not snobbery to the extent where we're sinking cup of tea after cup of tea tea and having piles of crumpets and talking like Sir John Giulgud, but in a very patronising "we know best" manner as regards the US election. I've been doing it myself, moaning incessantly about Mitt Ronmey and championing the cause of Barack Obama. But why? I don't get a vote. And anyway, the country I live in has Cameron and Clegg in charge. Who are we to tell anyone how to vote? If during the next General Election a load of Americans tell me who to vote for over Social Media, I'd see my arse. "It's nothing to do with them... What do they know..." and so on, so forth. I often think we're a bit cruel in the UK when it comes to our generalisations of the populace of the USA. "Rednecks" "All obese" "Retards". It's seemingly an acceptable form of racism at times, like calling me a Sheep Shagger, or an Scotsman a Sweaty. And yet again, today, we're proving that we think we know best.
I just hope no god damned, gun toting, yankee doodle dandy tries telling me who to vote for Police Crime Commissioner.
As a closing note though, the enthusiasm for voting over there is a real joy to behold.
Good post Gareth. Fully agree with the fact that as we in the UK (although neither of us!) voted in Cameron and Clegg, we've got no right to tell Americans what to do. I've seen people who are FANS of David Cameron on Facebook telling Americans to 'do the right thing' and vote Obama! They should take a serious look at themselves given that they're the ones responsible for this coalition.
ReplyDeleteI think the reason so many people care so much about the US election is the massive impact it can have on us in this country and across the world.
Dave
Didnt think id ever say this but you do make sense ;) i love watching how involved americans get in their voting us brits could do with taking a leaf out of their book, the brits voting is a joke the moaning and complaining that goes on about who gets in when the people who are doing the complaining are the one's who didnt get off there arse's and vote in the first place.
ReplyDeleteLay off the pills, House.
ReplyDelete