Local elections in the Colonies
So that's that for another four years. Phew.
I have a number of USAian friends and I'd like to take this opportunity to thank them for the last fifteen months or so of knock-down, drag-out, slapstick politics - and to congratulate them for a well-run and transparent election (although it does take some mental gymnastics for us on the Other Side of the Pond to grasp that you're a Republic and not necessarily a totally direct democracy. The whole electoral vote thing can get confusing if you let it).
As to the result, well, I don't have a vote and I don't pay US taxes, so my opinion counts for approximately bugger all, but in case anyone's interested, I rather think the result was the least worst.
We do take a lot of interest in the USA and its politics, it's that whole "best friends with a hyperpower" thing we have going on; however, despite the interest, I don't think we're necessarily that sensitive to political nuance; a lot of what the GOP, in particular, has had to say has been, um, mildly terrifying without having the full context - and a lot of issues which are truly existential in the USA arena just aren't issues at all in the UK (and vice versa, of course) - but one does sense a fairly savage polarisation with real dislike on either side.
Interested in the thoughts of informed folk. Please comment below.
I have a number of USAian friends and I'd like to take this opportunity to thank them for the last fifteen months or so of knock-down, drag-out, slapstick politics - and to congratulate them for a well-run and transparent election (although it does take some mental gymnastics for us on the Other Side of the Pond to grasp that you're a Republic and not necessarily a totally direct democracy. The whole electoral vote thing can get confusing if you let it).
As to the result, well, I don't have a vote and I don't pay US taxes, so my opinion counts for approximately bugger all, but in case anyone's interested, I rather think the result was the least worst.
We do take a lot of interest in the USA and its politics, it's that whole "best friends with a hyperpower" thing we have going on; however, despite the interest, I don't think we're necessarily that sensitive to political nuance; a lot of what the GOP, in particular, has had to say has been, um, mildly terrifying without having the full context - and a lot of issues which are truly existential in the USA arena just aren't issues at all in the UK (and vice versa, of course) - but one does sense a fairly savage polarisation with real dislike on either side.
Interested in the thoughts of informed folk. Please comment below.