If I could vote for the next President of the USA, I wouldn't need a lot of time deciding who to vote for. Let's see .... Obama (sure, he has his faults but he IS a democrat and seems a decent enough fella) or The Muppet who has selected a demonic running partner who has a penchant for gunning down furry things and as a Governor passed a ruling that means rape victims are charged anything up to $3000 for a rape-kit if they want the rape to be investigated. Hhhmmmm.... let's see. I know I appear to be obsessing over an election from another country, but I know far too well how far-reaching the consequences can be. We're at war with Iraq simply because Bush Jnr wanted to finish something Bush Snr started and ensure those lovely oil companies he's in bed with grab themselves a big percentage of the oil profits from that area. This morally corrupt administration has refused to recognize the existence of Global Warming (odd that with them being one of the biggest pollutants on this planet) and denied the liberty and basic Human Rights of the occupants of Guantanamo Bay. Sure, we joke about those orange jump suits and use this terminology to mock the absurdity of the situation - but what the families of these people must be going through??
After studying Liberation Theology at Manchester Uni for my masters, my eyes were opened to the corrupt nature of the US Administrations over the last five decades. Their involvement in other countries internal politics to ensure the evils of Socialism and Communism never darken their doors signed the death warrants of hundreds of thousands of good people. Their paranoia and obsession with democracy, capitalism and the purity of market forces has meant that they're the true Fundamentalists. Socialism is not a bad thing. Capitalism has widened the gap between the rich and the poor. Companies are now obsessed with making hyper-profits rather than turning over a modest profit for their shareholders. Greed prevails.
Maybe the credit crunch will be good for this world. When you can find "shopping" as an interest when completing a survey about yourself, surely the world has gone mad? Maybe Obama can repair some of the damage. By concentrating on the internal problems of his own country and pulling out of Iraq as he's promised, maybe the world can breathe a bit. Maybe we can all re-assess what we're doing in this world and how we can make it a more hospitable place for the next generations. What better legacy is there?
