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| Is America Really Ready For Change?
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January 27 2008
As the American political primaries grind onward, there is much speculation in the US media about whether the United States is ready for either a black president or a female president. The assumption seems to be that, if it comes down to a contest between John McCain and either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama, then the Democratic candidate will cruise to victory. I'm not so sure.
Technical change is readily embraced in America, but social change comes harder. Consider these facts:
- Long after the rest of the world has gone metric, the United States is almost alone in using the old British system of weights and measures. Ironically, the only other nation to use this system is England, the country that Americans fought a revolution to separate from.
- America is the only Western industrialized country to still impose the death penalty, putting itself into the same league as Iran and China.
- The United States is the only industrialized country that does not have some form of universal health care for all of its citizens.
- More than any other Western nation, America uses military force as its primary tool for foreign policy.
The past was no different. America did not free its slaves until thirty-five years after slavery had been outlawed in The British Empire and the US continued to practice racial segregation long after every other nation had moved on, except South Africa.
There have always been millions of progressive people in the United States and some of the greatest human rights leaders have been Americans, like Caesar Chavez and Martin Luther King. Unfortunately, these progressives have never been in the majority.
Next November, it's entirely possible that most American voters will opt for the conventional choice of an older white male who is a war hero. His name is John McCain. Even if the Democratic candidate has the edge, we may see the same kind of banana republic vote rigging that marred the last American presidential election, particularly if the results are close. Progressives thought that John Kerry had it in the bag then, but look at what happened. It may not be time yet for change in America after all.
What do you think? I'd really like to know.
George
P.S. Check out my website at www.checkmatefiction.com
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Posted by gjcondon on 2008-01-27 12:52:12 | Rating: | Views: 80
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Can I rear the face of the "ugly American"?? The world always seems to want to point out our faults,,,and I would point out that some of the things you point to as wrong about us I see as positives, ie the health care thing...but when you have a disaster you come to us...The Sunami hit and we did not act fast enough the world moans, yet New Orleans is flattened and we help ourselves. But we are backwards??? the worst mad men in the world start world domination, and almost get it if it was not for the English holding on so I tip a hat to them, but the world needed us to come and save it. I klnow, that was 60 years ago, but you still need our help and it amazes me that we get a slap in the face and not a thank you.
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Posted by whiteknight
on 2008-01-28 07:52:59
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PS...I will take an old white man that got his body abused and beaten rather than leave his men behind...the Veit Cong knew who he was and was ready to let him leave, but he stayed because his men were there...politics aside I want a man of that honor as my leader. I may not always agree w/ him and he may not be the "sexy" candidate but that is a man of honor
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Posted by whiteknight
on 2008-01-28 07:56:58
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