I am Canadian and I have been told in years past for that very reason, I have no right to share my input on the American government, its leader or its policies.
I strongly disagree.
Canada is so americanized these days that whatever happens South of the boarder has a significant impact on Canadians and our country, but many Americans just do not see that because many know every little about Canada and assume it’s the same contrariwise.
Canadians can rhyme off the names of most U.S. first ladies in a second. But ask the average voter to list even a few wives of Canadian political leaders and you’re more than apt to get a blank stare. [source]
Seriously, many of us care more about the US election in November then our own, which coincides with the November 4th polls, some would even prefer to cast their ballot in the US election then our own! No matter if it’s an election year or just day in and day out politics, you can be sure that someone North of the boarder has an opinion. Myself included. Oh, I have opinions.
The thing about an opinion is that it will undoubtedly offend someone.
I wholeheartedly believe that McCain made a knee jerk decision when he appointed Sarah Palin as his running mate: he naively thought he would be able to sway the Hilary vote to Republican by bringing Palin with him to the White House. He thinks that women will vote Republican strictly because Palin is a woman, but instead of swaying those women, he’s managed to insult a great many with the assumption that we naively flock to stand behind a woman, prop her up and burn our bras. He’s assumed we (you) do not have brains, we (you) do not follow politics and we (you) will vote strictly because of gender.
What an unbelievable insult: from the man vying for your vote.
Not only did this man pick a woman, but he picks a woman who has pretty much made a mockery of the Republican policies.
Along with many social conservatives, Palin supports abstinence until marriage yet she as a 17 year old pregnant daughter. Granted, these things happen - but not when you’re a Vice Presidential candidate!
Republicans have defended her by praising her for being very pro-life because she has a downs syndrome son and because her 17 year old daughter did not abstain from sex until marriage, she’s considered a hero for rallying behind her daughter and helping her cope with pregnancy!? With that they say women with pro choice beliefs would have abolished those pregnancies without a second thought.
I find that extremely insulting.
So now this Levi character is forced into marriage because grandma is going to be Vice President and they cannot have a unwed teenage mother as the daughter of a REPUBLICAN Vice President.
Evangelicals are over the moon because Praise the Lord, She’s Pro-Life!! She walks her walks and talks her talk! And with that, she is qualified to be second in command? Fuck, I’m Pro-choice! Pick me to run as the Democratic Vice Presidential candidate.
Oh wait. I have to be an American; I digress.
Obama says: ‘Children are ‘miracles,’ but we have a problem when so many children are having children’ and it’s interpreted by the Republicans as he’s condoning abortion and would want his own grandchild to be aborted!? Um, wha’?
This man speaks his mind, candidly and honestly and all the Republicans can do is twist it trying to make Obama sound vicious and heartless while all they are really doing is making themselves appear uneducated and unknowing.
[Wait, did I do the same thing by assuming that McCain thinks all women will rally behind Palin because she's a woman?]
The Republican campaign is helping the Democrats more then they know!
Obama says that family family is off limits and his campaign will not comment on Bristol’s pregnancy and anyone in his campaign that does will be fired:
“We don’t go after people’s families; we don’t get them involved in the politics. It’s not appropriate, and it’s not relevant,” he added. “Our people were not involved in any way in this, and they will not be. And if I ever thought that there was somebody in my campaign that was involved in something like that, they’d be fired.” [source]
He can make that statement because his campaign doesn’t need to say anything about the Palin situation because the media’s doing it all for them. Frankly, I think he’s brilliant!
Maybe I am so Liberal that I am engrossed with how flawed the Republican party is. Or maybe it’s because I am Canadian and have no business having an opinion about American politics or their (your) election.
