Alright.
I just thought I’d write down a couple of my thoughts on the US Presidential Elections – everyone else is doing it, so I thought why not?
Choosing between Mitt Romney and Barack Obama is not easy. It’s like trying to decide between Sting’s solo work and his time in the Police or sweet and salted popcorn or Ant and Dec. No one wants to make these difficult decisions; it will affect everyone, it could potentially rip the cinema snack industry in half and it will certainly leave a lot of people upset, mainly Ant. Whatever the case; please vote, you Americans. It’s important. It doesn’t matter who you vote for, it’s the taking part that counts. I supported Barack Obama last time because a lot of my best friends are American. Well, not loads of them, but some. Mainly one bloke, Ethan, who I have a pen-pal relationship with. I’m not entire convinced he’s not on death row for something serious, but each to their own. ‘Penitentiary’ is American for ‘prison’ right?
I know a lot of Americans are getting angry at us non-USers for sharing our opinions, because they feel the outcome of the election doesn’t affect us, but with respect, I think they’re wrong. If you look at the film Independence Day (brilliant, isn’t it?) the story only really shows us the effects of an Alien invasion on the USA and, in particular, the President of said USA. If we didn’t pay an interest in American politics then our enjoyment of future disaster movies, and their political context, hangs in the balance. I don't want any old so-and-so saving the world with Jeff Goldblum.
I’m a liberal (I think), so you would assume that I would be backing Mr. Obama himself, however being liberal (and a full time activist) I believe in equality; so in my mind the best solution would be letting them both have a crack at it. It is clearly working here in the UK, David Cameron and the other bloke in the Coalition are showing a united front on every decision; from looking after single mums, to caring for the needs of the elderly, from steadying the path of today’s students to helping those what can’t afford to live in London to move miles and miles away from there. Yes, they are making some unpopular choices, but then which politicians don’t? Look at John Major and Edwina Currie. I think the best solution is to let Romney and Obama join forces, at the very least it might create some Odd Couple-style relationship which would make a great reality television series.*
I’m glad I’m not American. I say that because I wouldn't want to be in their shoes at the voting booths, primarily because there seems to be a lot of waiting around. I get a lot of my footwear from Shoe Zone and I’ll be honest; it doesn't hold up to much - I just wore out a pair of espadrilles queuing for the Log Flume at Alton Towers. Nevertheless, I wish every American person the best when voting. Follow your heart;do what you think is right, feel the force.
Ask yourself this: do you vote for Barack Obama who has done an OK job so far by; being black, giving healthcare to poorly poor people, going ahead with tax cuts even thought they helped create jobs and slow down the recession, getting troops out of other countries, killing bad Muslim men, being a feminist, liking gay couples, being black – the list goes on.
Or do you vote for Mitt Romney who doesn’t let religion cloud his judgment but actually inform it and who will solve the economy in no specific terms, help out his super rich friends so that they’ll help you through the goodness of their hearts, motivate unemployed people by cutting off their money, get lazy mums working again, support diversity (within reason) and leave the housing crisis to sort itself out. A guy who is pro anti-abortion, anti-affordable healthcare, anti-letting gay people get married and pro-allegedly darkening his skin colour to show his support for ethnic people?
See; I never said it was easy, did I?
Whatever happens in this crazy world that we call…elections, at least we can take some comfort from knowing that whichever side people come down on, the world will still have Sting, in some capacity. God Bless America and all who vote in her.
* If you’re a TV person, get in touch.
