DISQUS

As a dual citizen living in Europe for more years than I will tell, my reaction is: surprized? Kennedy was the most popular and Clinton was pretty high too, Kerry was "adored" because he speaks a little French and schooled in Switzerland. What do they have in common? That will give you some indication of the answer to their popularity. The size & level of democracy, importance put on form rather than substance in each country will also give some indications.

In France I have heard "elegant, beautiful wife I'd love to spend some private time with, fun musician, wish I was in his place with pretty admins, etc, etc... for all these presidents/candidates .. not really the stuff Americans want from their leaders. And Democrats are much closer in their views of goverment intervention in citizens lives to the Europeans.

As a test, I passed out the transcript of Obama's speech to Germans friends at work. They were apalled when they actually understood what he had said. (They only heard the lofty flattering stuff) They were also very upset years ago when Clinton forced then to act on Bosnia.

You need to understand they want what they see as a careful, "elegant, superficial, flatering US that asks nothing of them. The EU cannot get their act together, the cost of living and social costs are drowning most EU countries. (Social medicine is close to bankrupt in most countries). There are very reasonable and knowledgeable people - but they are the minority. Most simply want their creature comforts and noone telling them they have to take any responsibilities. The State is there to take care of them - they thik.

"Popularity" is nothing but superficial and short lived. Please note that the US is not having to ask people from these countries to take green cards. That gives me a better indication of reality.

Thanks for the response. You are not seriously saying that a student would know more about local issues (say in their sophmore year) than where they grew up - after 6-10 week absences a a time & calling home etc? (At least that was not my experience when studying in another State.)

It is far more likely that they are studying and mostly little involved in their communities beyond campus and vote for ideological reasons. And by voting, they do off-balance states regularly - if they voted at home, of course, they would not avail themselves of the "mass" impact so desireable by one party in particular. I find that not at all in line with my idea of democracy of all the peole.

You are right that the US should have common voting rules, at least for national elections - but that is not what our founding fathers wanted (they were quite restrictive in their views of voting "rights") - I dare guess they would be a little shocked by some of the goings on in the name of "different or more" rights for some groups or what is often ideology (political correctness) above reason.

The point of citizenship should be common requirements for common rights. Voting is so important to me that I feel people should study and learn before voting or abstain until they have the chance to do so. It is the future of all that they are impacting when they vote. It should not be a popularity contest or an "I will impose my views" contest.

I am ashamed of the way Congress is partisan and the campaign so ugly these days (look at the language used on blogs and comment sections of the Washington Post for instance). Mom would have said "six of one, half dozen of the other", The days of "hope" etc are long gone to my mind... cheers!

I live in Switzerland, Europe. There is no voting anywhere in Europe unless you are signed up in your community in advance, pay taxes in the community and show the ID received from the community. Once you are registered as a citizen of a community you are registered until you register elsewhere.
There is no reason for not requiring proof of citizenship. The thing I least like in the US is for dependent students to be allowed to vote in a community they do not pay taxes in and will not continue to live in. They should vote in their home communities. It is not democratic to alow them to off balance a community of working citizens.

Believe me the rest of the democratic world is far less "easy" on potential fraud than the US through paying people to register voters, no ID or residency requirements etc. That is not "freedom" it is licence for the most devious and unscrupled to cheat!