Letters to the Editor
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America 2008: A stupid frat boy jock bully who goes to church on Sunday.
It sucks to be an American now. Sucks here at home, and sucks abroad where the whole world hates us, and rightfully so. George Bush represents everything that is lousy about the American empire. The sooner he goes back to being a rich playboy in Texas (where he belongs) the better.
I am voting for Barack Obama with a surplus of hope, but I pity the man. He's going to win, for sure. Who wants old man John "More War" McCain? But Obama is inheriting a leaking septic tank of a country. If he can pull us out of our misery, he'll belong among the greats. But this may be asking more than any one man can deliver. It might take decades to reverse the damage done to this country by George W. Bush and his Republican co-villains.
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A branding problem? How pukesomely superficial.
Branding? Image?
The brand and the image are tarnished because of the actions of the American state (war, torture, propping up dictators, imposing trade barriers, ...).
The question is not who will best project an image of America's supposed values, but who might actually implement them.
GWB had a marvellous brand at one point: the affable regular guy with common sense who you'd love to have a beer with. Well, look where that got you.
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I can't wait
for the Hillary people to start complaining about the rest of the world being as deluded and naive as US Obama supporters.
Simple fact: There is no substantial policy difference between Hillary and Obama. There shouldn't be, they both represent the best of the party.
Simple fact: Obama inspires people, he's a unifying figure, he's the first politician I've ever seen that makes me proud to be an American (down right wing wackos, I'm speaking for myself only!). I love my country and I've begrudgingly accepted politicians from Schumer to Clinton to Kerry whom I all agree with politically but don't like personally. I've made bargains with myself to support them, trading my distaste for their divisevness and personal short-comings and lack of, for lack of a better term, oomph. In Obama I have the first candidate that I agree with politically on the important issues and also a man who inspires me to believe in the majesty and power of your union.
So take your Hillary, make your deal with the devil. Vote her in and accept a presidency with policy's you believe in lead by a woman who makes your skin crawl. Reward her negative campaigning and willingness to burn the party to win her seat at the table. I'll take my delusions thank you very much.
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One more thing
If I could make a list of the 5 things I want the next president to do they'd be:
- End the war in Iraq.
- End torture and retake the moral high ground.
- Roll back the Bush tax cuts (which benefitted me greatly).
- Reinvest in American infrastructure (a massive massive road and bridge construction project).
- Limit SUV's/encourage hybrid/electric and increase the average American MPG nationwide to 35 MPH by 2016.
Three of these items are extremely hard sells to a public bred on Die Hard and "Screw everyone brown" mentalities. Clinton can't make the case for ending torture and regaining the moral high ground or ending the war. The right will slaughter her.
It will take a once in a generation voice to make this hard sell. Think of the right wing attacks on mandatory SUV production limitations (an absolute necessity if we're serious about gas conversation). Do you think Hillary can make that case? Obama at least has a shot with his ability to rally public support.
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Hillary's brand name?
Just more of the same. See ya in San Antonio, go Obama!
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Get ready for the mail firestorm
So I have to wonder ... does Joan Walsh think to herself, "hmmmmm, we just got rid of Anonymous posts. Now what's the most outrageous article, light on facts and heavy on opinionated analysis, and totally one sided, that could really light up a letters section." Because, damn, this article has got to be it!
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Brand is a distraction.
The fact is that we have mediocre and disturbing choice of candidates none of which are suitable for rehabing brand "America" in the eyes of the world.
Hype is all that matters to American MSM.
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Intriguing-but-flawed
I'm always interested in how our presidential elections are received and perceived around the world. I think most Americans would also agree that we have a tremendous amount of work to do in image-rebuilding, given George W. Bush's reign. I hope that leaders and citizens in other countries also know that we (American citizens) are embarassed beyond words at Bush's words and actions.
It's curious to me, though, that "branding" continues to play such a prominent role in how we are "seen" by others around the world, particularly given the current state of affairs.
It was, after all, "branding" that gave us a "compassionate conservative", a "uniter" and the guy that most people wanted to have a beer with. Thus "branding" seems a pedestrian -- and somewhat dangerous -- exercise.
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What a perfect metaphor for the Obama campaign is this article. Devoid of content, studiously ignorant of so much as a single issue, a triupmph of image over substance.
Wow, isn't is nice to know that we could elect a President that will make the young people of Lahore, Pakistan happy?
Forget about denigrating Obama based upon his middle name or his African father -- that's all nonsense and it pales in comparison to the fight that needs to occur. On issues.
An Obama Presidency would be designed to cater to the far left. An immediate declaration of surrender in Iraq, tax increases, appointment of left-wing judges, a new era of trade protectionism catrering to Obama's union backers. So let's just skip the discussion of Andrew Sullivan's feelings (is there ever NOT a good time to avoid the subject of Andrew Sullivan's feelings?) and cut to the issues. Obama would be the most liberal President in the lifetime of any living American. Let's have a referendum on that.
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America the Superficial
Stop caring about IMAGE and change the BEHAVIOURS!
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You know most countries are quite comfortable with their image good OR bad
Lots of people don't like France or England or Russia or Egypt or South Africa or Taiwan or Malaysia or..... and those countries are quite happy to continue to be French or English, Russian, Egyptian and so on. Take me as I am, they say and it's worked out quite well for them. This obsession with "Does the world love us?" is quite honestly a lot of nonsense.
Did you know we still trade with Iran? Did you know the whole world has not a problem buying minerals from Congo? Did you know that Salon's new favorite TV show "In Session" is an Israeli import recast for American audiences? Did you know that the Japanese literally do not care whether you live or die and would be thrilled if NO ONE came to visit?
Why do you care if the US is 'loved'? Don't most of you detest the US at least as much as the angriest Arab mob? So what do you expect them to think? And you LIVE HERE. So it doesn't matter what the US does or doesn't do. You mind is made up.