Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 7:11 am Post subject: American Presidential Elections.
Please, don't let the title of this thread put you off reading it.
I need you're help. I have been commissioned to write an article on the race for the Presidency from a British persons perspective, and I am not finding it very easy.
The American Political system is so different from our own, and even though we both, alledgedly, live in Western Democracies, the difference between the two countries Election system is huge.
They have "Primaries", a series of "mini" elections where the Candidates run against each other, even the same party, i.e. Democrats have Hilary Clinton and Barak Obama in pitched battles all vying for the most nominations.
It seems as though Obama is in the lead having secured the nominations of many influencial Senators from many different States, and is leaving Clinton looking like an also-ran.
Both Candidates have had to raise enourmous amounts of money in order for them to continue their campaigns, in their bid to get to the White House.
The "winner" will be standing against the Republican winner, when, in November, the "General Poll" takes place, Nationwide.
Can you even begin to imagine the huge task of collecting and counting all those votes?
It sometimes takes hours to count the votes in our By Elections, or Local Elections, so just try to multiply this by thousands, and you'll get some idea of the enormous task ahead of the Overseers and Counters.
I have been an Overseer at one of our General Elections, when I was involved with the Referendum Party. Remember the late Sir James Goldsmith? I was the Area Co-Ordinator for Basildon, and it meant attending all the meetings, even the ones at Westminster.
Busy times, but I thoughly enjoyed it, and it gave me quite an insight into the workings behind the scenes.
I also met some interesting and influential people, a couple of whom I have kept in contact with.
Anyway, returning to my main theme of the Presidential Election.
I am running a little Poll, and would appreciate your input. It will help me write the rather tricky article for my Newsvine Column.
All replies are strictly annonymous and comfidential. Thank you.
To be honest Sandie I only know of the Democrats so you will have to excuse me I will vote on my veiws on those two,I don't trust Hilary Clinton which is proberly not fair because of her Husbands record,but feel maybe a younger man can at least bring new hope to what as far as I can see is a right mess over there and we are suffering because of it _________________
Thank you for your reply, JoJo. Besides this online survey, I have been doing some "face to face" research this morning when I was "out and about" in my local area.
So far, the general consensus seems to be that most people would like to see Obama as the next President.
One lady said to me, "Barack Obama? Never heard of him. Who is he?"
Well, the majority of people don't seem to really take much interest in our own politics, let alone Americas.
Another lady said, "Doesn't make any difference to me, does it."
I told her, that it would make a difference to her. Perhaps not directly, but most certainly in the long term of International events.
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