Republics, Democracies and Empires

[midnightranter]

First off, I love good responses that provoke good thoughts and how_i_lie provided one. Also, these are the danger of not getting enough sleep before writing, you leave stuff out. Like the entire paragraph talking about why it's really hope versus despair and why Americans, given choices, will vote real hope versus real despair and why we'll vote unity over

Comments

[how_i_lie]

I'll be in New York as soon as they ever give me this damn promotion and I can afford to travel.

As a further point, I think my view of the American system is jaded by my understanding of the British. The mentality here is "he said one thing I want more than the other things", so it's a lesser of two evils, at least we'll get *something* mentality. I don't think Obama is a bad choice really, but there's something about him that leaves me cold when I start considering *how* things are going to happen. Still, being proven wrong in the best way can be even better than being right all along!

[midnightranter]

Well, that's kind of the American view as well. "I don't like him, but he said one more thing that I like than the other guy". It's the classic result of a two party system. Americans just occasionally have what can only be called a Leo McGarry style idealism: "Because I'm tired of it! Year after year after year after year, having to choose between the lesser of 'who cares?!' Of trying to get myself excited about a candidate who can speak in complete sentences! Of setting the bar so low I can hardly look at it. They say a good man can't get elected President. I don't believe that, do you?. . .This is the time of Jed Bartlet, old friend. You're going to open your mouth and lift houses off the ground. Whole houses, clear off the ground