Keep in mind that most Americans hate a lot of the current American foreign policy, which has led to an increasing turnover in gov’t…
Bush has an approval rating that hovers around only 30% here…
Bush’s approval rating and America’s standing in the world would be a lot higher if the likes of Cheney, Rumsfeld, Addington were not pulling the strings behind the scenes.
digger
In a nation where close to half of the eligible voters don’t bother to vote.
It follows that a good part of the 70% who don’t approve of Bush didn’t bother to vote. They deserve what they got.
As for the rest, they’re entitled to be shitty with people who moan about Bush but didn’t do anything about it when they had the opportunity.
Fer Chrissake, how bloody hard is it to get off your arse and get down to a polling booth?
Which leads to the question that I and a lot of people I know wonder about, which is whether Bush is just a puppet put up as a pliable figurehead by the neo-con Republicans and the interests they represent?
It’s hard to believe that such a blundering idiot could get himself into the position by his intelligence, commanding personality, grasp of policy, and so on.
I agree. But it almost seems as though the US gov’t wants to inhibit mass voting. For instance, I think Australia and most modern western nations have a holiday on their election days whereas in the US you have to make time during your work day…
He is without question a largely pre-selected candidate too unaware to be a threat to the corporationist agenda of the GOP leadership. Certainly his rise to power in 2000 over McCain was largely done through dirty tricks and the demonetization of John McCain. Some people tie this all on Rove, but I think it is actually bigger that just him…
While I don’t think Bush is actually “stupid,” he’s undoubtedly one of the most intellectually lazy and under read Presidents ever…
Most Americans have no faith in the U.N. And that it has its own agenda, one not aligned to American aims. To most of us here, it is a suspect enterprise, not to be trusted, and certainly not to be blindly followed.
The U.S. is still a soverign Nation, and will follow its own policy regardless of what any external body may think or wish.
I agree with the thoughts expressed concerning lazy voters. In some countries,though there are elections, there is no real choice. In other countries, one votes at the risk of life, and family. and then there are those few places, where there is no vote at all. period.
and seeing this on their screens, many Americans still find it too taxing to pry their arses off the couch, (Oprah is on you know, or Springer,) and go to the polling place. there are people who will pick them up, and drive them if they call, but so many will not even do that. it is a tragic waste of power, a dereliction of a freeperson’s responsibility to those who have, and do now guarantee their rights to choose, and decide. As well to the Nation they are part of. Sad wastrels they be…
Speaking of ratings:
source: http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/info-presapp0605-31.html?printVersion=true
We do them on Saturdays, when most people aren’t working (although a lot are these days) or can find the time to vote. In the cities, you’d be unlucky to be more than a mile from your nearest polling booth, probably two or three within about that distance. It’s no big effort to vote here, for most people.
We also fine eligible voters, i.e anyone over 18, if they don’t attend a polling booth on election day. It’s commonly called compulsory voting, but it’s really compulsory attendance at a polling booth. Nobody knows what you put on your ballot paper.
I think there’s some prohibition here on the sort of conduct that’s routine in America, party workers getting busloads of old people or whomever to the polling booth, but I’m not sure.
Given the Australian love of public holidays, I think you’ve identified one of the few occasions we haven’t thought of for a day off, for which we are indebted to you. 
We’re halfway there already, as many polling booths are at schools where the parents’ club takes the opportunity to make a few dollars with sausage sizzles, soft drink sales and so on.
The great paradox is that Americans extol, and fight and die for, the right for other nations to experience the right to vote, and other aspects of democracy, that underpins America, but Americans at home can’t be bothered.
Go figure.
My little time spend with the Americans is not very good. Why the US just pisses me off is that it is always said that the US can do anything better than anybody else in the world and that they are the best as well with everything.
Now The US government is the thing that makes me sick, the fact that they do just what they want and say what they want and expect that nothing will come out of it is so stupid.
In my country as well you get plenty of assholes that think, oh wait can not think and thus screw up the whole country.
If the US do something wrong the whole world suffer for it, damn look at the oil prices. If the oil price goes up the food and every bloody thing goes up, your pay stays where it is but you must pay more and more every bloody month for almost everything. The US started the oil price climbing and for a third world country like South Africa it is very bad indeed to get that sh*t knocking at your door every month.
Lets be honest, the US not loved across the world, I think if Americans learn something about other countries in the world except their own they might see that they are not the only people on this planet and think that the rest is a bunch of monkeys on the planet.
So yes I hate the American government and the assholes that live in the US just like you get other assholes in other countries all over the whole world.
No fence sitting now, what do you really think.
HG’s post made me laugh…I think a lot of people dislike or hate what they cannot have and NEVER will and they KNOW it. We cant be that bad because why do so many people want to come here to live?
That’s a very good point. Personally, I love America and Americans, or, at least, I’ve loved a lot of American women. 
I would argue that the rest of the world and mankind are merely jealous of what the U.S. has achieved over the past century, and can only wish to be more like America and Americans, but they know it isn’t going to happen. :evil:
Why does this make me laugh? Judging a whole Country by what some of the politicians do is just ignorant. Also if gas gets to high for ya…maybe its time to start riding a bike…
Simple! Money! My suggestion get your BA or BS in the US. Get the rest of your education in Europe. Come back to the US to work. Then retire in Europe. Easier said than done!
Completely agree! However Americans are quick to do this as well. Let not forget the anti-french nuts we had when they wouldnt join our wonderful war.
I have a bike and I ride it to work everyday so I am not lazy or I walk to work and it is not a block or two from my house.
Well guys I do not give a damn about the money the US have and I am not a person that want a lot of money so that part is not true. To say that people in third world countries just want money is bull.
Rather think about what I said. I said I hate the US government and the ASSHOLES that live there. Did I say I hate the whole US?
Now guys I work for very little money and I rather work for little money and get where I want to go rather than having a lot of cash and be a asshole, face it poor people are very happy people because they appreciate everything they have and what they do for each other.
So what is money then, does it make you something?
Now I told you what I thought and by attacking me is not the way to go rather debate the whole issue than fight like school kids.
I haven’t seen any really poor people dancing in the streets with joy because of their inability to enjoy the things that most of the society they live in take for granted.
I’ve done a lot of work with the poor over the past 35 years. I’ve never met anyone that wouldn’t rather have more money to make their life better.
I’ve never met anyone who said “Gee, it’s so great being as poor as I am, I wish I was poorer, so I could be even happier, so I’m going to give away what I’ve got so I can live naked with absolutely nothing and be ecstatic for the rest of my life, without money to buy even food, clothes or shelter.”
and what they do for each other
A myth that rivals the noble savage.
Most crimes by the poor are committed against the poor.
So what is money then, does it make you something?
No, but it stops you being hungry, being unable to afford decent medical and dental care for yourself and your kids, gives your kids advantages to get out of poverty, avoids your kids being ridiculed at school because the clothes you can afford are rubbish in the eyes of most of the other kids, lets you have a comfortable life where a luxury isn’t eating once a week or even once a month what moderately well off people eat every night, avoids the humiliation of having to rely on charity for basic needs, and so on.
Two well known quotes, which sum it up.
I’ve been poor and I’ve been rich. Rich is better.
People who say money can’t buy happiness don’t know where to shop.
#1). That is very good, so the high gas prices shouldn’t be that burdensome to you and it keeps you healthy.
#2) I don’t think I mentioned money…maybe someone else did…
#3) There are a lot of ass holes that live here that’s for sure…LOL maybe the U.S. government could be more like yours and the world would be a better place…what do ya think?
#4) Are you trying to say that if you have money that makes you an ass hole?? Rising sun covered the rest better than I ever could.
#5) Ditto…what rising sun said
#6) Jut curious …why do so many think just because someone does not agree with them, they consider that an attack?
The gas price makes everything go up so that is my big problem.
No I know many people who has money and lots of it and they are not assholes mate, just I do not know why money always gets involved?
No mate I just said that because people said that I just said everything because I do not have the money.