Foreigners: the shameful US election

[opebo]

Most Europeans I know over here have assumed Obama would be re-elected - though I have shared my deep fears with them all along.  Among the Thais - they care little, but always assumed that Obama would be defeated by Romney because of Romney's 'white skin' and because Obama 'is black'.  So, I have a feeling in Asia they will be quite satisfied, but I wonder about the reaction in Europe:  Will you all feel satisfied that American has again shat itself at the garden party (so that you can feel rightly superior) or will you feel a genuine horror?

[opebo]

Not only are you certifiably insane, but your snide insinuation that only Europeans (and not Asians) can have legitimate political opinions is the vilest, most offensive sentiment I have seen so far on the board, albeit quite representative of the typical snobby Western expat. Blocked.

Dude, I'm not insinuating anything, I'm just repeating anecdotes.  Though the insinuation is also accurate.  What do you mean 'blocked'?

[opebo]

More bemusement I think. Don't think people are terrified of Romney (although possibly because, as you say, they've assumed Obama would win easily.)

I meant horror at what Americans are more than horror at Romney (after all you lived through Bush, more or less).

[opebo]

I meant horror at what Americans are more than horror at Romney (after all you lived through Bush, more or less).

Dunno, don't think people are really that shocked after Bush was elected twice

Good point.  Here I was thinking I was the ultimate pessimist about americans - having grown up (ever so painfully) amongst them - but it is inevitably the Parisian man-on-the-street who has the most accurate perception of the american:

[opebo]

Ignored. There's no reason for me to ever converse with someone who believes my ethnicity precludes my ability to think. We're done here.

Dude, I only represented the fact that most Asians think America is racist.  I don't see how that reflects badly on them.  True, the fact that not very many of them seem to mind it might reflect badly, but maybe it just means they keep to their own business.

You're too sensitive.

[opebo]

If Obama loses, I don't think people here will automatically connect it with race, as he was elected once by Americans. People will just be rather amazed that the party of Bush is back in power after one single term.

Interesting, thanks. More of a continuing astonishment about their utter lack of class consciousness or even any kind of consciousness at all, than horror at their racism.

[opebo]

At least, it beats Emmerdale.

What's Emmerdale, some Irish horse racing or something like that?

...unfunded tax cuts will put large amount of capital into the economy in the short term, which if we're lucky will finally pull us out of the financial crisis.

That's not how it works, ingemann - the whole world include the US is awash in a vast sea of un-utilized capital.  What is missing is demand, not capital.  A tax cut would have absolutely no positive effect.