God bless 'stoopid' America!

It is an abiding stupidity by many of the not-so-clever Dicks in the British commentariat to suppose that the Yanks are stupid, or perhaps that should be 'stoopid'!  In particular they deride the American political system, and especially their elephantine presidential elections.  It is true that the current Barnum and Bailey circus seems to have been running for what feels like most of my lifetime but the innate intelligence behind this arrangement is now clear for all to see.  Indeed, "clear for all to see" is precisely the condition that this long-winded affair has produced.  Sen. McCann has been around long enough for most Americans to judge without the necessity of an 18 month long campaign, but even so, he has been put to the test and the fact, so far, that nothing too earth shattering has been discovered leaves him more or less where he was in the mind of the electorate without anything much to change minds in either direction.  Similarly, Sen. Clinton has been under public scrutiny for some time.  Those of us with certain preconceptions concerning her have had them confirmed, but some others with a more charitable view of the lady have been discomforted by the discovery of certain aspects of her character brought about by the length and strength of this long examination.  Some people have had their admiration reinforced, whilst others have turned away in disappointment.  But finally we come to the third candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, the 'new kid on the block'.  Nothing much was known of him, and his political record offered few clues since it seemed to be based on a desire to be all things to all men.  That in itself, of course, is an indicator.  However, now, after a year of electioneering, the wisdom and cunning of the American system is fully demonstrated.  Piece by piece the monstrous PR image that has sought to hide or disguise the true nature of this man, and his wife, has been clinically examined, analysed, discussed and then discarded.  Now we see Barack Obama almost as naked as the day he was born.  His manifest faults and weaknesses are open to all.  In case some of my British readers, with political problems enough of their own, missed the sight they can read about it here.  I should add quickly that this is a very partisan view of Sen. Obama.  Were you to read a staunchly liberal summary of the man and his qualities, he would appear as a paragon of all the virtues.  But, for or against, my point is that because the American system lasts as long as it does the electorate is provided with all the information it needs to make up its mind.  In other words, those 'stoopid Yanks' go to their polling booths infinitely more knowledgeable than 'yer average Brit' voting at a general election!

Comments

[Hank]

David

Now if every one just took advantage of that. But the voters who decide the election won’t pay attention to politics until after the World Series. (If there is any justice in the world our Chicago’s Cubs will win, the last time they won a World Series was 1908, once a century is not being greedy is it?) Who knows what they will think is important.

This election requires some http://eclecticmeanderings.blogspot.com/2008/03/republicans-might-be-in-trouble.html>humor. Smile!

[JuliaM]

"This election requires some humor. "

There's a great deal of humour in seeing the carefully-crafted image of Obama torn up by his pastor, his wife, his own mistakes and words.... :)

I'm loving it!

[David Duff]

Hank, you're absolutely right and in fact I had intended to add a line or two pointing out that, whatever, the vast majority of the population would simply vote with its gut, but at least they could not have the excuse that they were fooled or just didn't know. Also, one shouldn't forget the large-ish minority who do pay attention and who are thoughtful enough to switch votes between candidates - they can sometimes be critical to a result. As to "humour", alas, I am feeling just the opposite, as my next post will reveal.

Julia, yes, it's been the best striptease since I was in ... er, well, anyway, B'rack is now fully revealed as just another lying liar.

[dearieme]

And this brilliant system elected those Megaduds Bill Clinton and W.

[David Duff]

But, 'DM', you must remember that the system does not choose the candidates who volunteer themselves. It only permits the electorate to choose, in the harsh, extended glare of a long campaign, between what's on offer. Would you have preferred Al Gore?

[Tatyana]

Would you have preferred Al Gore?
Or J. Kerry?

[David Duff]

Like trying to choose between a rock and a hard place, Tatyana.