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This is really just excellent writing, Frank. Really. The Hun is always either at your throat or at your feet. Winston Churchill
When I see McCain taking the lead in Presidential polls I really wonder sometimes what it will take to wake people up. Only Americans can end the hypocrisies and the exploitations, but it would be wrong to say that Europeans do not sympathise with them in their plight. "It's a mystery to me - the game commences, For the usual fee - plus expenses, Confidential information - it's in my diary..."
Frank Schnittger:
Contrast that with the sense of entitlement that Hilary seems to exude: Its our turn as Democrats, and as Women, and as Liberals she seems to be saying. It's about HER, not about YOU. What is remarkable is that financial America is falling apart at the seams - and yet Obama gives it barely a thought. Military America is suffering humiliation in Afghanistan and Iraq - he doesn't go there.
Contrast that with the sense of entitlement that Hilary seems to exude: Its our turn as Democrats, and as Women, and as Liberals she seems to be saying. It's about HER, not about YOU.
What is remarkable is that financial America is falling apart at the seams - and yet Obama gives it barely a thought. Military America is suffering humiliation in Afghanistan and Iraq - he doesn't go there.
What I find strange about this crisis is the seeming disconnect with what passes for political debate in the US Presidential election. Have McCain, Obama, Clinton et al given the slightest indication that they understand the magnitude of what is going on? Does winning the Presidency depend on reflecting the voters apparent denial/ignorance of what is going on? It seems that the reality of the financial meltdown and the failure of the "reform" ideology is so far out of sync with the comfortable cliches of politics-as-you-were that we are in danger of providing a democratic mandate to Neroism - a collective fiddling while Rome burns.
This particular diary came out of the blue, whereas I have perhaps 20 others planned which I may write if time and inspiration permits and if I can do the necessary homework to feel I can say something worthwhile. Maybe sometime I should do a "meta diary" on all the topics I would like to write on but don't yet feel able - and invite everyone else to chip in their topics - and then perhaps a few collaborative diaries might emerge.
Anyway, many thanks. I feel honoured that anyone would read and recall my comments so closely - I'd better be more careful about what I say in the future! "It's a mystery to me - the game commences, For the usual fee - plus expenses, Confidential information - it's in my diary..."
However, regarding comments, at least on this site comment threads are as valuable and valued as diaries. I have a tendency to develop ideas in comments over time, which sometimes results in a synthesis diary. It'd be nice if the battle were only against the right wingers, not half of the left on top of that — François in Paris
Maybe the line of thought with some Americans is that McCain isn't Bush so things couldn't possibly be as bad if he were President and there is a failure to realise that McCain isn't offering any solutions to the problems Bush has caused.
Unlike France, where there is a strongly held view that a candidate's private life is his own business, his/her character is often of the essence in the US. Thus Elliot Spitzer had to resign as New York Governor for engaging a call girl service without almost no consideration of the key role he has been playing in exposing corporate malpractice in Wall Street. Surely the most important current issue in that state.
The debate about the Presidential candidates - McCain, Clinton and Obama almost always revolves around their personal qualities rather than around their policies and party/business/political affiliations and the interests they represent. Part of this is a media creation - it is very hard to interview an abstract concept like an "interest" and most people are bored by the minutae of policy debates.
The personal hatred and vitriol which accompanies "political" debates on US blogs and media is quite shocking to an outsider more used to the concept that people are people and what matters is policy, allegiances and competence.
I also can't help feeling that a lot of this has to do with the very individualistic form of religion which has evolved in the US where it is all about having a personal Saviour and about your personal responsibility and moral probity - as if all else follows from that. Thus Bush was really only doing God's work... "It's a mystery to me - the game commences, For the usual fee - plus expenses, Confidential information - it's in my diary..."
Unlike France, where there is a strongly held view that a candidate's private life is his own business
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