When Cool Heads Prevail...
....and no heads are cooler than those of the calm and reserved Brit-based Financial Times. Here, these unrepentant free-marketeers don't even bother acknowledging the socialist-baiting of the GOP as they toss their support to Barack Obama. Link here (subscription required), fair-use snippets are below:
US presidential elections involve a fabulous expense of time, effort and money. Doubtless it is all too much - but, by the end, nobody can complain that the candidates have been too little scrutinised [Rob's note: obviously the hard right can complain]. We have learnt a lot about Barack Obama and John McCain during this campaign. In our view, it is enough to be confident that Mr Obama is the right choice.At the outset, we were not so confident. Mr Obama is inexperienced. His policies are a blend of good, not so good and downright bad...
Mr Obama fought a much better campaign. Campaigning is not the same as governing...
Nonetheless, a campaign is a test of leadership.Nor should one disdain Mr Obama's way with a crowd. Good presidents engage the country's attention; great ones inspire....
We applaud his main domestic proposal: comprehensive health-care reform. This plan would achieve nearly universal insurance without the mandates of rival schemes...
Mr Obama is most disappointing on trade. He pandered to protectionists during the primaries, and has not rowed back....
In responding to the economic emergency, Mr Obama has again impressed - not by advancing solutions of his own, but in displaying a calm and methodical disposition, and in seeking the best advice. Mr McCain's hasty half-baked interventions were unnerving when they were not beside the point.
On foreign policy, where the candidates have often conspired to exaggerate their differences, this contrast in temperaments seems crucial. For all his experience, Mr McCain has seemed too much guided by an instinct for peremptory action, an exaggerated sense of certainty, and a reluctance to see shades of grey...
Rest assured that, should he win, Mr Obama is bound to disappoint. How could he not?...
The challenges facing the next president will be extraordinary. We hesitate to wish it on anyone, but we hope that Mr Obama gets the job.
You would have the brits elect our president,WOW!
You must also be a citizen of the world like Obama instead of an America citizen!
Simply stated I consider the brits to be more immoral then Americans.
Even more immoral than Americans? That's troubling. Charlie, do you feel the U.S. is one mildly evil oasis in an even more evil world? What a sad way to see America and the larger world in which you live. Then again, one can always find salvation in a pro-America small town.
Mr. Asghar
I mean as a society brits are immoral, but individually
there are a lot of very good people as well.
The brits should stay out of our politics period!
If Obama is elected,he will give amnesty to all illegal
immigrants assuring a total domminance of all facets of government in america, he will destroy us from within. Democrats are zombies, just as Larry Elder says. Tune in Mr Elder to have your eyes opened.
Brits Butt out!
Charlie -- I'm just curious if you're consistent in your distrust of government. Do you feel it should butt out of issues such as constraining a woman's right to choose or micro-managing traditional concepts of marriage?
I pretty much agree with John Galt And Gail.
Vote yes on prop 8. Obama will appoint judges that will make the law, not interpert it!