I have to wonder if the whole world isn't laughing at us

[Oafman]

In answer to the OP, there are always plenty of laughs in US politics. It's such a circus, with the excessive partisanship (open hate!), wacky characters, dog whistle mudslinging, ludicrous accusations and raucous debates.

We've always bemoaned how boring British politics is in comparison, though that's less true of late (every country can do stupid!).

But, as much as those laughs are still there (probably more than ever), things seem rather more serious this time.

I've always taken an interest in presidential campaigns, and generally had a preferred candidate. But I can't remember there ever being a candidate who concerned me like Trump does. I wanted Obama to win in 08, but I wasn't at all worried about a McCain presidency. Even with Romney, who was in it for the wrong reasons and would have done damage to US society, I never felt he was anything but rational.

People tell me that Trump will not actually do the crazy things he threatens to, it's just demagoguery and electioneering. If he wins, we'll have to hope that is accurate.

 

[The Cadet]

You consider Hillary Clinton to be a skilled diplomat? And you believe that most of the world is hoping that Hillary Clinton is the next President of the USA?

Who, specifically, were you thinking of (which countries) that would want Hillary Clinton to be the next President?

Start here: http://edition.cnn.com/2016/06/29/politics/pew-poll-obama-trump-clinton/ With all of Europe.

Here has Europe and a number of other countries: http://www.pewglobal.org/2016/06/29...e-and-asia/ga_2016-06-29_balanceofpower-1-09/

Meanwhile, here's Clinton: http://www.pewglobal.org/2016/06/29...e-and-asia/ga_2016-06-29_balanceofpower-1-08/

This doesn't take a whole lot of looking up to find.

 

[brinny]

In answer to the OP, there are always plenty of laughs in US politics. It's such a circus, with the excessive partisanship (open hate!), wacky characters, dog whistle mudslinging, ludicrous accusations and raucous debates.

We've always bemoaned how boring British politics is in comparison, though that's less true of late (every country can do stupid!).

But, as much as those laughs are still there (probably more than ever), things seem rather more serious this time.

I've always taken an interest in presidential campaigns, and generally had a preferred candidate. But I can't remember there ever being a candidate who concerned me like Trump does. I wanted Obama to win in 08, but I wasn't at all worried about a McCain presidency. Even with Romney, who was in it for the wrong reasons and would have done damage to US society, I never felt he was anything but rational.

People tell me that Trump will not actually do the crazy things he threatens to, it's just demagoguery and electioneering. If he wins, we'll have to hope that is accurate.

Funny that you say that:

do the crazy things he threatens to

Hillary threatened Russia with war (i'll post the video if you like)

And it's TRUMP that concerns you?

 

[Goonie]

I don't normally participate in the political forum, but I see nearly all of the "most replies today" are from this area. I popped in and glanced at a few threads.

Does it ever occur to any of you that the whole world may be laughing at us? Do you ever look to past Presidents, and wonder how it came to be that Trump and Hillary are the two main choices? Does anyone out there see this as an almost impossibly ridiculous situation?

I'm asking myself how this happened, and why ...

It's more like looking on aghast at a slow mention car crash.

 

[jeager016]

Our choices are poor.
It's "grin and bear it" no matter who is P O T U S.
Trump seems to me the lesser of two evils.
Opinion only.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Hmmmmm.

I have watched the media and their effect on public opinion regarding candidates since Reagan.

I am starting to wonder if the rest of the world is similarly ... informed.

 

[SkyWriting]

I don't normally participate in the political forum, but I see nearly all of the "most replies today" are from this area. I popped in and glanced at a few threads.
Does it ever occur to any of you that the whole world may be laughing at us? Do you ever look to past Presidents, and wonder how it came to be that Trump and Hillary are the two main choices? Does anyone out there see this as an almost impossibly ridiculous situation?I'm asking myself how this happened, and why ...

Most people who travel the world, come back.
I'm not too concerned about how I am viewed.
People in the voting booth vote for interesting candidates.

 

[SnowyMacie]

I don't normally participate in the political forum, but I see nearly all of the "most replies today" are from this area. I popped in and glanced at a few threads.

Does it ever occur to any of you that the whole world may be laughing at us? Do you ever look to past Presidents, and wonder how it came to be that Trump and Hillary are the two main choices? Does anyone out there see this as an almost impossibly ridiculous situation?

I'm asking myself how this happened, and why ...

I'd say it's less laughing and more "confused and concerned stare".

 

[~Anastasia~]

Most people who travel the world, come back.
I'm not too concerned about how I am viewed.
People in the voting booth vote for interesting candidates.

Well, I'm not actually concerned with how I am viewed either.

But I was curious what folks would say if invited to step outside our perspectives a bit.

I'm not much concerned with which candidate(s) may or may not be "interesting" though. That's a good criteria for an article to read or a movie to watch, but not so much for the leader of a nation. I'm not looking to be entertained. Though the candidates sometimes seem to believe otherwise ...

 

[SnowyMacie]

I'd say it's less laughing and more "confused and concerned stare".

and as an American I'm doing the same. 300-something million people, hundreds, if not thousands of politicians and the choice is between Donald John Trump and Hillary Rodham Clinton.

 

[The Hammer of Witches]

Hillary polls pretty well among most of the rest of the world. The reason the rest of the world is laughing at the USA is because of Soggy Cheetoh over there.

It depends on the country. Trump is very big in China (among the people, government does not like him) and Russia, and is 50/50 with Clinton in many countries such as Japan, Israel, etc. Don't know if they're laughing, but people around the world are following this closely.

 

[Mountainmanbob]

Does it ever occur to any of you that the whole world may be laughing at us?

True, many may be laughing but, still wishing that they lived here.

We live in a Great Country but, we had better wake up and smell the coffee.

Mountainmanbob

 

[Mountainmanbob]

Oh, I don't know. Trump

deep dread that someone with such disturbing ideas could now have their finger on the big red button

Not the old scare tactic.
Come on, I'm sure that he would not shoot prematurely.

M-Bob

 

[bhsmte]

I don't normally participate in the political forum, but I see nearly all of the "most replies today" are from this area. I popped in and glanced at a few threads.

Does it ever occur to any of you that the whole world may be laughing at us? Do you ever look to past Presidents, and wonder how it came to be that Trump and Hillary are the two main choices? Does anyone out there see this as an almost impossibly ridiculous situation?

I'm asking myself how this happened, and why ...

I have asked myself why many times.

Here is my two cents. Trump won, simply because those voters are highly fed up with their politicians and Trump was different and bold enough (in a strange way of course) to appeal to them. I thought by far Kasich was the best candidate of the republicans and he didn't get a sniff.

In regards to Hilary, she won mostly because she is part of the establishment on the democrat side and the Clintons have always had a well honed political machine. Bernie gave her a run and got much more support than most anticipated and he did so, for the same reasons Trump won on the republican side.

It is sad, that the United States, would produce these two candidates as the best we have to run for president. It really, really is amazing, the two with the highest unfavorable ratings, won.

 

[SnowyMacie]

because those voters are highly fed up with their politicians

This is something I will never understand about my fellow Americans. I get where they're coming from and such, but it makes no sense to me why we should want someone who isn't a politician in the highest political office in the nation.

 

[Mountainmanbob]

Let's remember that Ronald Reagan had only been a politician for a very short time.
Mountainman

 

[J Cord]

he's campaigned constantly on being a problem solver WITHOUT the use of war, of using international cooperation in order to advance our interests instead of blowing the heck out of them like Hillary wants to do and has done. In other words, the claim is ridiculous.

Too bad The Donald hasn't been able to put forward one reasonable solution to ANY problem. Not one. His solution for ISIS is laughable at best: To give the Generals 30 days to come up with a solution....my God, what does the idiot think they've been doing for the last decade?

 

[Daughter of His]

To reply to the above post, the Generals have had their hands tied by the present administration.

 

[The Cadet]

To reply to the above post, the Generals have had their hands tied by the present administration.

Citation needed.

 

[chandraclaws]

Well, you know how the old saying goes--"Those who can, do. Those who can't, try to act important by attacking people in other countries."

Isn't that what you are doing now?