Who but Americans care about American politics? Like the ABC, Phil Senior thinks that because he is interested, Austalians are interested.

Leave foreign politics to foreigners. We have enough to worry about with the rubes we have here without troubling ourselves with how Americans voted.

While there is some connection via the Iraq war, Australia's commitment is chicken feed, and it's up to Australian voters, not American, to decide what we do, just as it is with Americans.

While overseas politics are obviously of interest to an apprentice political scientist (do we really need any more of them?), it is of no interest to most Australians.

No one pounces faster than Leigh -

so often the first post -

like a seagull on a hot chip.

Though I think he sells short the impact of changes to the American political landscape - sure it does not always effect us but when it does it usually does in rather significant ways - does any one really think without the rather over the top US response to a few deaths in New York - we would have over committed ourselves militarily on a wild goose chase? hoew much money has that fiasco cost us -

think of all the extra freebies we could have showered single mothers with if we had not frittered cash away on arms - artists could have had heaps more grants - refugees and our indigenous brothers could have had more and more subsidised loans - free dental care - free abortions - hair plugs - breat augmenations - all manner of good stuff now impossible because we went to a false war - on the back of American Foriegn Policy

While the Freed Trade Agreement betwen us and them was a joint initiative the internal lobbying of sugar farmers and pharmcuetical companies ( political activity if ever there was any ) will impact on us for years to come.

Internal US politics and farm subsidies have been hurting us for years. I could go on

Leigh is being uncharacterisitcally naive to Poo Poo the author in this regard -

All international policy decision should be of concern to us - US - British or any where else for that matter.

Glad i'm not an American who has to wear egg on my face about that Iraq war debacle.

Oh wait a second, i'm Australian, better go wash my face.

Phil Senior's article is wide ranging and timely. Only an ostrich (emu?) would dismiss it easily.

US politics are of concern to anyone interested in the Australian economy (particularly agriculture and defence purchases).

Negotiations involving the US Democrats will also determine the fate of our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. If the Democrats can engineer a withdrawal strategy our troops should at last receive their marching orders home - via our "decision makers".

If John Howard has an independent stance or attitude regarding Iraq and Afghanistan he should show his hand - it would be beneficial electorally.

Pete
http://spyingbadthings.blogspot.com

Sneeky,

Sorry. Would you like me to wait until evening to give you time to think of something?

Leigh... I find it somewhat strange that you lampoon this article as irrelevant or uninteresting to Australians... plenty of articles appear on OLO regarding overseas politics... recently I've read about Burma, Thailand, Europe... Are these countries more relevant than the US? You can speak for yourself Leigh, but not for everyone... I for one, am very interested in US politics. Anyhow...

Interesting the author brings up DINO's as a moderating factor. The far more obvious moderating influence has been Schwarzenegger's RINO effect. Quite strange really, but a good indication that the US is returning to centrist policy. I think more than a few Americans are probably getting nostalgic for the Clinton era.

It's going to be an interesting election... on the one hand, we have names like McCain, Giuliani and even Condalezza Rice being mooted for the republicans, while the Democrats have Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and even Al Gore being suggested.

Whatever way you look at it, there is going to be a stronger sense of moderation in the next administration... even the more aggressive players here will be operating in a political environment which encourages centrist policies.