The Lesser of Evils

Being Australian, I don't have such a sparse knowledge of America's current presidential candidates. From what I have heard, none of them are all that good, so I was wondering, which candidates are preferred over the others, and why?

Specific emphasis on the Republican Primaries.

I'm Australian and from what I know Obama still the the man. The other candidates are bickering from what I can tell and not reliable..

@0blivion_: Yeah, no democrat has opposed Obama.

But there are four primary Republican's and from what I have heard they are all un-popular. I'm curious to see which is the least hated.

Well based on my opinion there isn't any good candidates, good presidents, for some time now. It's all a popularity contest, been like that before i was born, going to remain the same til who knows when.

But anyway America's government sucks.

I'm Canadian but I've been following the debates and campaigning and while they are all evil I think Mitt Romney actually might be the lesser of the evils... Rick Santorum makes me want to puke my guts out. I hate him. And Newt Gingrich is just an idiot. He promised that by the end of his SECOND term, (yes, I said SECOND term as President) he would have a colony on the moon. He made space exploration, specifically having a colony on the moon one of his selling points. For Christ's sake, the Americans have a lot of issues that BY FAR outweigh the COST and NEED of development on the moon. I seriously hope Obama just gets a second term. People can say what they want about him but really... What has he done that is so bad for the American population? Cause I can't really see anything earth-shattering. In fact, he's done quite a lot good IMO. Currently I think Mitt is in the lead anyways although that creep Santorum isn't THAT far behind.

I pray to God Santorum does not become a candidate for Presidency.

Sometimes as an outsider (Londoner) i cringe at some of the talk these guys have given.

& to think one of these guys could be President??

Be Afraid very afraid.

@jeanlucpicard said:

Well based on my opinion there isn't any good candidates, good presidents, for some time now. It's all a popularity contest, been like that before i was born, going to remain the same til who knows when.

I don't like divulging in political discussion heavily for my own reasons, but more or less this. Into who I think is favored, or going to be in the polls overall, George Bush Jr. was re-elected for a second term, so see the quoted statement as well regarding views on the voting process, or for a short version, the fact is that most American voters do it more or less to simply exercise their right to vote, and go forth with whatever pop's in their head at the time in question between whatever other hustle in their day, and what's been placed there most prevalently by the recent cover stories in the media in spite of any real hard research being done. Not all mind you, but a lot. It's a flawed system like many invented by human beings.

I admit in a side note a particular amount of confusion when seeing non-Us residents/citizens adamant, if not more so than actual citizens concerns over the affairs of the United States, particularly those individuals whom are demanding their American rights and actually entering votes/petitions, despite not being citizens at all. I do know the semantics there, but at it's base or foundation it still is illogical. Curiosity or just discussing a news topic aside naturally, or even concern over an American action that effects the rest of the world, like a Gulf oil spill for example. But in the case where say a citizen of Bangladesh is going about there rights as a U.S. citizen and demands of the government to make certain adjustments to improve their quality of life (again as a U.S. citizen) I find it nonplussing. Just something I cued into a little more recently and have some confusion towards.

I'd say Ron Paul is the least 'hated'. He isn't going to win the primaries, though.

I'd say Ron Paul is the least 'hated'. He isn't going to win the primaries, though.

Mitt Romney is the leader so far and it looks like its going to stay that way. However, he isn't in the lead because he is the most liked, but because he's the candidate with the best shot at beating Obama in the general election.

@King Saturn said:

@ZombieBigfoot said:

I'd say Ron Paul is the least 'hated'. He isn't going to win the primaries, though.

Ron Paul is a pretty cool cat... but he is often laughed at by his Republican Comrades...

Unfortunately it already seems like Romney's going to win it. Paul might make the most sense, but he's not popular enough.

Incumbent presidents have a huge advantage in elections. Their party is nearly always united behind them, and they already have massive recognition for having been the president for the previous four years. In addition, if you secure your party's nomination, but then lose the election, your party will never nominate you again. This means that a lot of the savviest candidates don't run in an election against an incumbent.

@Raiiyn said:

I'm Canadian but I've been following the debates and campaigning and while they are all evil I think Mitt Romney actually might be the lesser of the evils... Rick Santorum makes me want to puke my guts out. I hate him. And Newt Gingrich is just an idiot. He promised that by the end of his SECOND term, (yes, I said SECOND term as President) he would have a colony on the moon. He made space exploration, specifically having a colony on the moon one of his selling points. For Christ's sake, the Americans have a lot of issues that BY FAR outweigh the COST and NEED of development on the moon. I seriously hope Obama just gets a second term. People can say what they want about him but really... What has he done that is so bad for the American population? Cause I can't really see anything earth-shattering. In fact, he's done quite a lot good IMO. Currently I think Mitt is in the lead anyways although that creep Santorum isn't THAT far behind.

I pray to God Santorum does not become a candidate for Presidency.

Agreed wholeheartedly.

YAY RON PAUL! Too bad no one is voting for him.

And, HEY, Raiiyn! A space motel is just what the economy needs!

Why don't you worry about carbon tax and leave US politics to us Americans. 

@cyberninja said:

Why don't you worry about carbon tax and leave US politics to us Americans.

The same thing could be said about the U.S. Always meddling with other countries.
BB

@cyberninja said:

Why don't you worry about carbon tax and leave US politics to us Americans.

The same thing could be said about the U.S. Always meddling with other countries.
BB

@cyberninja said:

@Billy Batson said:

@cyberninja said:

Why don't you worry about carbon tax and leave US politics to us Americans.

The same thing could be said about the U.S. Always meddling with other countries.
BB

That's a different ball game and you know it.

See - the thing is, outside of the obvious (Foreign Policy etc) American politics affect a lot of countries --- but on a more personal note --- Canada. From strong arming us in regards to our lumber exports, oil sands in Alberta and now this idea of a pipe line heading up to Alaska. Knowing whether there will be a space station building president down south is a bit concerning. I don't think our robotic arm is going to make much of a difference, lol.

Plus --- most of our television programming is American based, so what happening down south is being constantly thrown at us. Our countries worked better when we had a Liberal Prime Minister in power and Democratic President, but now, it's all skewed and things are chilly between our countries right now. Doesn't make a difference frankly -- whatever the U.S. wants, the U.S. gets. They pretty much set it up for us to be the first to back out of the Kyoto Accord - considering they never signed on in the first place, and because of that, countries like Australia etc followed suit.

That's not to say we are not autonomous in our own rights, but its naive to think that American politics don't affect some of us here.

Also, this carries over to the politics of other countries as well. What happens in China, India, and Russia (just as examples) affect the rest of the world as well.

And then - at the end of the day? The rest of the world watches American politics because what a show they put on! All those conventions and televised debates? It's just a lot of entertainment.

As much as I want a moonbase I'm voting Obama again.

I pray Obama will win.

@cyberninja said:

Why don't you worry about carbon tax and leave US politics to us Americans.

... Why?

I can't think of a better way to ask? Do I not have a right to know what other people think? To have an opinion?

I suppose Australians shouldn't learn other languages because they aren't relevant here? And yet languages are mandatory at many school for at least a couple years, so in fact schools are teaching the wrong curriculum?

Anyway, US politics is screened on all of our TV channels, it is spoken about a lot. I thought I would opt to ask my fellow viners what they thought.

@lykopis said:

@cyberninja said:

@Billy Batson said:

@cyberninja said:

Why don't you worry about carbon tax and leave US politics to us Americans.

The same thing could be said about the U.S. Always meddling with other countries.
BB

That's a different ball game and you know it.

See - the thing is, outside of the obvious (Foreign Policy etc) American politics affect a lot of countries --- but on a more personal note --- Canada. From strong arming us in regards to our lumber exports, oil sands in Alberta and now this idea of a pipe line heading up to Alaska. Knowing whether there will be a space station building president down south is a bit concerning. I don't think our robotic arm is going to make much of a difference, lol.

Plus --- most of our television programming is American based, so what happening down south is being constantly thrown at us. Our countries worked better when we had a Liberal Prime Minister in power and Democratic President, but now, it's all skewed and things are chilly between our countries right now. Doesn't make a difference frankly -- whatever the U.S. wants, the U.S. gets. They pretty much set it up for us to be the first to back out of the Kyoto Accord - considering they never signed on in the first place, and because of that, countries like Australia etc followed suit.

That's not to say we are not autonomous in our own rights, but its naive to think that American politics don't affect some of us here.

Also, this carries over to the politics of other countries as well. What happens in China, India, and Russia (just as examples) affect the rest of the world as well.

And then - at the end of the day? The rest of the world watches American politics because what a show they put on! All those conventions and televised debates? It's just a lot of entertainment.

Hi five for living in a constitutional monarchy!

@Hawkeye446 said:

Being Australian, I don't have such a sparse knowledge of America's current presidential candidates. From what I have heard, none of them are all that good, so I was wondering, which candidates are preferred over the others, and why?

Specific emphasis on the Republican Primaries.

Watch SBS news more often. You can pretty much get a fairly detailed picture of American politics with it. Nyehehehe!

@ssejllenrad: Haha, I do. But I was wondering from the point of Americans.

@Hawkeye446 said:

@Raiiyn said:

I'm Canadian but I've been following the debates and campaigning and while they are all evil I think Mitt Romney actually might be the lesser of the evils... Rick Santorum makes me want to puke my guts out. I hate him. And Newt Gingrich is just an idiot. He promised that by the end of his SECOND term, (yes, I said SECOND term as President) he would have a colony on the moon. He made space exploration, specifically having a colony on the moon one of his selling points. For Christ's sake, the Americans have a lot of issues that BY FAR outweigh the COST and NEED of development on the moon. I seriously hope Obama just gets a second term. People can say what they want about him but really... What has he done that is so bad for the American population? Cause I can't really see anything earth-shattering. In fact, he's done quite a lot good IMO. Currently I think Mitt is in the lead anyways although that creep Santorum isn't THAT far behind.

I pray to God Santorum does not become a candidate for Presidency.

Agreed wholeheartedly.

YAY RON PAUL! Too bad no one is voting for him.

And, HEY, Raiiyn! A space motel is just what the economy needs!

Yea it is.. although he's not exactly perfect either... I find it hilarious though that he fights his own party ;P

OO OOO OOOOO ... Can we name it Motel Moonshine?!?!?!?

*strokes chin* I like that idea

@Raiiyn: LOLOLOLOLOL!!!!

@Billy Batson said:

@cyberninja said:

Why don't you worry about carbon tax and leave US politics to us Americans.

The same thing could be said about the U.S. Always meddling with other countries.
BB

@Billy Batson said:

@cyberninja said:

Why don't you worry about carbon tax and leave US politics to us Americans.

The same thing could be said about the U.S. Always meddling with other countries.
BB

@cyberninja Such is life.But when was the last time 1,000,000s of lives were saved?

Truth is when its matterd the U.S.A & its allies have turned a blind eye ie-Central Congo, the Sudan.

@cyberninja Such is life.But when was the last time 1,000,000s of lives were saved?

Truth is when its matterd the U.S.A & its allies have turned a blind eye ie-Central Congo, the Sudan.

@lykopis: That makes some sense, I guess, and was most of the semantics I stated I was aware. Particularly this though " It's just a lot of entertainment." Still, it is odd to me the way I see it play out, and on this site as a particular example. I guess I'm failing myself as usual for question where the logic in a race doesn't adhere any in the first place.

@lykopis:

I have no emotional investment either way (nor a sense of patriotism for that matter ) myself. My mind is hardwired however to observe patterns, and in peoples cases habits and personal paradigms inadvertently. I'm also extremely reluctant to actually reveal the full nature of the things I observe, for a variety of reasons of my own. Hence I am and do as I do. My exercise here was no more or less me taking advantage of a moment to relieve some prior curiosity about something I've noticed. Again, on this site specifically, and that's only one side of the pattern as well.