a moment of silence

[goroth]

You call Obama left? He is pretty right wing if you look at it from an European perspective..

from a European perspective everything to the right of Trotsky is "right wing."

Life's tough on the left.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quality-of-life_Index

[D.o.S.]

Most of those countries are significantly more homogeneous, as well as smaller, geographically and in regards to population.

[goroth]

It's an interesting point DoS - it was definitely true up until WWII, but since then, and especially since the creation of the Schengen zone, immigration in most European and Scandinavian countries has gone through the roof. An example (from the latest time magazine) is Italy in the early 80s (um, I think... can't be bothered going to the kitchen to check) - 1 in 100 Italians had a passport from another country. Now it is 1/10. That's a fairly radical paradigm shift, which is mirrored in one way or another in most countries over this side of the world, which I think in many ways is more demanding than for societies built in immigration and multiculturalism like Australia and the States. And we're arguably not doing a good job of that bit so ah...

If you aggregate the countries above the US on that list you get a population of ca 170 million people, spread over a bunch of continents and languages and cultures, and all of them have governments that are much more interventionist/prone to social engineering than in the States, and arguably all of them more left leaning. That trend continues even after the States, so at least in the top 30 the US is an outlier in its sociopolitical makeup.

What's interesting in all of this is the level of interest the US election generates for the rest of the world. What are important domestic questions for you guys have wide ranging repercussions for the rest of the world. It must be weird. I mean, in Sweden we voted in a (relatively) economic rationalistic government at the last election, signalling a fundamental change for us after 9 decades of social democratic rule. But it doesn't affect our foreign policy greatly (which in its turn doesn't affect anyone else greatly), it doesn't really affect our GDP, or our banks, or anyone else's financial systems. But your election does, due to the preeminence of the States. Tough gig!

[D.o.S.]

12 governmental bodies for 170 million people-- semi-similar to what our local governments attempt to do, but with the overreaching hand of the federal government looming above. Look at the pot laws in Washington and Colorado. Or the immigration laws in Arizona--laws that absolutely wouldn't have a chance in hell of passing in, say,New England. The tricky part is instituting something like universal health care (which we mangled, and replaced with universal health insurance... because lingering Cold War paranoia about any state mandates are present enough to make some portions of the country grab their guns and hole up in their fortified compounds....) when what would work for one region or state isn't going to fly with the populace of another--Massachusetts and North Dakota,for example.

That, coupled with the fact that even though Americans aren't really taught history, we all "know" that our country was founded in defiance of taxes and government control, ties the Feds hands on a handful of issues--because so much of a representative's job is getting re-elected, they can't afford to really make waves that would help people (see: Obamacare, and even that almost sank him).

As for our impact on the globe... American Exceptionalism, baby! Now give us all your sexy ladies and all your natural resources.

[Greenfuz]

wow this topic took an interesting twist

[Disarm D'arcy]

You call Obama left? He is pretty right wing if you look at it from an European perspective..

from a European perspective everything to the right of Trotsky is "right wing."

Don't post much, still read much, and your political posts have been frightening me to the point that I'm almost reassured regarding the outcome of the last French elections

[Toonster]

You call Obama left? He is pretty right wing if you look at it from an European perspective..

from a European perspective everything to the right of Trotsky is "right wing."

I am Toonster and I approve this message!

[devnulljp]

But think of all the rad Obama is the antichrist new country we'll be getting .... not to mention the Ted Nugent/Meatloaf teamup album

[MEC]

But think of all the rad Obama is the antichrist new country we'll be getting .... not to mention the Ted Nugent/Meatloaf/Dave Mustaine teamup album

FIX'd

[WeHuntKings]

nvm

[D.o.S.]

But think of all the rad Obama is the antichrist new country we'll be getting .... not to mention the Ted Nugent/Meatloaf teamup album

Aren't you residing in Canada?

[futuresailors]

That's still an American Territory or something, isn't it?

[D.o.S.]

Yeah I think so.

America North (of North America)

[dubkitty]

America's Toque.