At least one person here does not think I have the right to post about American politics. Another supports Trump’s immigration policy. The first sees it as foreign meddling. The second sees it a law breaking. Neither seems to understand or see that both are derived from US foreign policy mistakes such as NAFTA. What do you think? I protested in Quebec City a couple of decades ago against the FTAA — Free Trade Agreement of the Americas — because it was also about corporate profits supported by government regulations wanted by lobbyists to Congress and foreign governments. [twitter.com]
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Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.To many brainwashed people, the State is akin to a parental figure. And when someone else attacks the policies of that State, it is like insulting the brainwashed person's mommy or daddy. ("Don't say bad things about my Mommy!" ) . Don't let the whinings of the brainwashed impede the search for Truth!
davknight
Level 8
Mar 10, 2020
0
@ToolGuy is talking about me, and he is stating the case in misleading terms.
@ToolGuy criticised me personally for my choice of presidential candidates, implying that my reasoning is invalid. I told him that my reasoning and my choice are not his business and that he should STFU. I told him that his opinion about my vote is the equivalent to a man's opinion on the topic of abortion.
I believe that the vote afforded to citizens of a country is a sensitive and critical matter, and the way we make our decisions about that process should not be subject to the criticism of people who cannot vote.
I suffer daily criticism from fellow Americans for my failure to support Bernie Sanders, but I won't accept it from the citizen of another country.
BitFlipper
Level 8
Mar 9, 2020
1
"Daily.criticsm" for your lack of citation & parroting Faux, not your right to say it, duuuuhhhhhh. Yuge difference, Yuge!
Pathetic, unwarranted personal attacks on other posters, sweetie, get reported to Admin...enjoy your day
So, you run your life according to how random persons think about you? Good luck with That!
AnneWimsey
Level 9
Mar 9, 2020
0
This is a public forum and we are all entitled to post our views, whether or not we are from the USA or any other country. If some Americans can’t tolerate a Canadian or a national of any other country commenting on US politics then they need to be reminded that America interferes in the politics of every country on this planet, and believes it has the right to do so. It’s not as though you are in a position to actually influence US internal politics by voicing an opinion, unlike the Russian or Chinese governments who do have actually the ability and willingness to do so, something which should give all Americans cause to worry. I’m sure the objections won’t stop you from posting your opinions, nor should it...it’s called freedom of speech!
Marionville
Level 10
Mar 9, 2020
1
I think that your opinions are yours, just as mine are mine, and my opinion is you shouldn't try to influence American, Russian, Mexican or Zimbabwe politics - just as we shouldn't influence other nations politics.
Never gonna happen because everyone thinks their entitled too "because thiers affects me too".
1of5
Level 8
Mar 9, 2020
2
You left out the major player in what 'merca does at home and everywhere .. Israel
1of5:
@ToolGuy uhm, what they're spreading with that money is words. You just do it for free and I can't stress this enough, you do it for your interest. Kudos for not pretending it's in ours like most people (you know, us and missionaries) do.
Yeah we go other places and do shitty shit. Trust me, a lot of us would like to stop doing that shit and vote accordingly. Unfortunatly we've got people who believe, excately like you that since what happens there affects us so they're entirely justified in doing so. See the pattern there?
Just because we rape 1000 doesn't justify the rape of 1. To go all extreme on an example.
1of5:
@OwlInASack I'm not claiming we're pure or even someone you'd want to live accross town from. We suck. That's a fact, and in 200 years people will look back and say "They sucked. Cool space program for awhile, but they really sucked".
The original question was about trying to influence the U.S. election. Look at our prez, who we got from forgien interventions in our election, and let me know if you think the concept in general is a good idea. Look at the wake of death and destruction we've left in our path around the world and tell me if you think it's a good idea.
Look at the middle East, where the entire westearn culture has been fucking around for centuries and tell me, is it getting better or worse?
1of5:
@OwlInASack saying "Hey, that's bad" is quite different than telling or trying to influence someone's vote. Yes, it is importaint to do that.
And seriously, European colonialism is a lot more complex than that, and while it was on the decline the WW's effectively ended that era. 
I'm not supporting interventions at all by anyone.
1of5:
@OwlInASack yes, observe away. It valuable. Actually pushing a canidate onto us, however, isn't.
That's called meddling, and my whole point has been that no one likes people meddling in thier affairs - especially if it's counter productive.
Bernies and the republicans attacks on Clinton were eerily similar in '16, just like they are now against Biden. We can't help but see they're the same and wonder about the source, especially when posted by random non U.S. citizen #4,8657,824. Misinformation and disinformation run rampant from within our own system, we don't need it brought back in yet again.
1of5:
@OwlInASack I understand the sentiment but my whole point is that these are very much my affairs too.
Which is why you have your own government (to represent you) to deal with our government. Elected officials do more than forgien policy, they do domestic as well (which, frankly, doesn't affect you at all). So while what they do can affect you, everything they do affects us much, much more.
So when you say they are your affairs too what your really saying is that you think the 20% of what they do that might affect you is more importaint than the 80% of what they do that affects only us. So yeah, we get a bit testy about that.
1of5:
@OwlInASack my government represents me no more than yours represents you
Shouldn't that be something you fix? And, uhm, forgive me for saying this, but if you can't get yours to represent you where do you buy enough chutzpah to think you have the right to have mine represent you?
1of5:
@OwlInASack I have the same right, then, and i firmly believe that just as you are best able to determine your own best interest and not I, I'll let you make your own decisions. That you won't extend the same courtesy to me is telling and just a bit hypocritical.
We don't have a world government. Sorry. Maybe that's what you should work on instead of meddling in selective countries elections. Start with getting your government to push for it.
And really, what makes you think theyd represent you anyways? - you can't even get your own governnent to represent you.
1of5:
@OwlInASack this whole conversation boils down to this:
Me: it's wrong, no one should do it.
You: your right, except the world should be able to do it to you guys.
So yeah, I know what your "principle" is, and guess where I think you should stick it.
I've noticed that non-americans tend to be better informed and more able to interpret American politics unbiasedly.
Your post are always insightful and well thought out so I encourage it.
RoboGraham
Level 8
Mar 9, 2020
1
I support you commenting on American politics, both because I support free speech on this site and secondly, because in my experience, people in other countries are often more objective and informed about American politics than the natives here. Probably because they have media that are more honest and objective about what is going on here than the corporate, monopolized media we have here. Also because they are outside of America, they are not part of the tribalism that most Americans are wrapped up in, distorting their views and causing them to vote against their own class interests. The rest of the world, in general, are much more aware of economic class, and are more comfortable applying it to politics. In America, the media won't discuss class, neither will the major parties and so most Americans don't talk about it either.
TomMcGiverin
Level 8
Mar 9, 2020
2
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