US Presidential Election

[Mibbes Aye]

This will no doubt annoy loads of folk who hate Sky/Fox and think these things are all done deals but I'm watching the Republican candidate debate and I think it's actually all right :greengrin. The candidates are doing what candidates do but the questioning has been good, searching at times - the BBC wouldn't have been more thorough and some of the questions have been beyond what they would ask IMO.

The candidates are answering in front of a friendly crowd but it is clear who gets better responses on social or 'dog whistle' issues.

Best for me (as a definite non-Republican) so far has been Ohio governor, John Kasich. He's presented as strong, while not obviously courting popularity. Might be clever.

[HappyAsHellas]

But it's America, and he ain't too rich so Trump will beat him. Ronald Reagan Mk II methinks.

[Hibernia&Alba]

Come on Bernie Sanders!

[heretoday]

It always surprises me that a country the size of America continually fails to come up with outstanding candidates for president.

Of course you need money and there's no guarantee that brains go with it.

[Hibbyradge]

I watched this in a pub in Seattle.

I was gob smacked by the number of references to pro-life, God, and Obamacare.

They are a weird bunch, the GOP.

[Mibbes Aye]

I watched this in a pub in Seattle.

I was gob smacked by the number of references to pro-life, God, and Obamacare.

They are a weird bunch, the GOP.

Some of the responses were incredible, at least to someone from these shores.

Mike Huckabee especially, but he wasn't alone.

Those sorts of views aren't extreme in many parts of the US I guess. It was a useful reminder about just how big the cultural divide is between many of us and many of them (and probably between the heartlands and the coasts over there).

[Mibbes Aye]

But it's America, and he ain't too rich so Trump will beat him. Ronald Reagan Mk II methinks.

Trump was scary and fantastic at the same time.

The thought of him being in power is ever so slightly insane but you can easily imagine him riding a popular surge, similar to Reagan.

[Stranraer]

The Republican debate was cringeworthy. It's all a joke to these morons. I don't like Hillary but I pray the Democrats win if it means Trump doesn't become the most powerful man in the world.

[steakbake]

The Republican debate was cringeworthy. It's all a joke to these morons. I don't like Hillary but I pray the Democrats win if it means Trump doesn't become the most powerful man in the world.

I think the US President used to be the leader of the free world, but I think these days it's not the power it used to be. Obama is popular but he's been impotent on Syria, flaky on Libya, powerless to influence the Ukraine situation. The US's power and influence is in decline. They are still of course a significant world player but if Trump wins, I'd expect that would probably diminish whatever international power the US President still has.

I'd reckon the presidents of Russia, China and the German Chancellor have more actual influence on our day to day lives, controlling as they do most of the world's gas, manufactured products and stability of our main trading partner's economies. Obama was politely listened to by the African Union the other week, but it looked like more of a ceremonial visit than anything with real diplomatic power behind it.

[--------]

I think the US President used to be the leader of the free world, but I think these days it's not the power it used to be. Obama is popular but he's been impotent on Syria, flaky on Libya, powerless to influence the Ukraine situation. The US's power and influence is in decline. They are still of course a significant world player but if Trump wins, I'd expect that would probably diminish whatever international power the US President still has.

I'd reckon the presidents of Russia, China and the German Chancellor have more actual influence on our day to day lives, controlling as they do most of the world's gas, manufactured products and stability of our main trading partner's economies. Obama was politely listened to by the African Union the other week, but it looked like more of a ceremonial visit than anything with real diplomatic power behind it.


There's a strong argument that the USA is a great power in decline. They have a massive military presence in the world, but their competitors are stronger than they are economically.

And you can add Japan and India to your list there.

[heretoday]

Trump was scary and fantastic at the same time.

The thought of him being in power is ever so slightly insane but you can easily imagine him riding a popular surge, similar to Reagan.

It'll certainly be insane if he succeeds in getting us all blown to pieces. Mind you, I'm sure people said that about Ronald "Rayguns" Reagan.

[RyeSloan]

There's a strong argument that the USA is a great power in decline. They have a massive military presence in the world, but their competitors are stronger than they are economically. And you can add Japan and India to your list there.

It's a popular narrative but really I think the evidence suggests otherwise. The U.S. accounts for roughly 20 - 25% of global GDP. For a nation of about 320m v a global population of about 7bn it's pretty difficult to argue that they are not still the dominant economic power (and that's before you consider the $ being the only true global currency). Add in their military budget is the equivalent of the next 7 biggest spenders combined and the U.S. in decline story seems a bit fanciful.

You then might want to try and find the powers in ascendancy (if the U.S. Is declining someone must be ascending) and the list looks pretty small. In fact so small it consists of one, China. Yet China has many many obstacles in its way before it becomes anything like the U.S.

India is a mess and remains so, as we have seen recently any moves towards serious reform are stymied, Japan is the worlds most indebted nation that has suffered 2 decades of stagnation...sure they have many attributes but a new world superpower is not one.

[lord bunberry]

I'd love to be in the same room as Donald Trump and Boris Johnson at a future meeting of leaders.

[wpj]

I'd love to be in the same room as Donald Trump and Boris Johnson at a future meeting of leaders.

Aye, with a taser 😊

[NYHibby]

In order to keep some perspective here, Jeremy Corbyn is clearly the British version of Donald Trump.

[R'Albin]

In order to keep some perspective here, Jeremy Corbyn is clearly the British version of Donald Trump.

I feel like I'm missing a joke here, because Corbyn isn't comparable to Donald Trump whatsoever!

[RyeSloan]

I feel like I'm missing a joke here, because Corbyn isn't comparable to Donald Trump whatsoever!

I'm assuming he means someone who is riding a populist wave (of very different colours of course!) but who has zero chance of ever leading their country...apart from that I'm with you, more polar opposites you will probably never see!

[R'Albin]

I'm assuming he means someone who is riding a populist wave (of very different colours of course!) but who has zero chance of ever leading their country...apart from that I'm with you, more polar opposites you will probably never see!

That does make more sense. I don't think even the biggest Corbyn hater would be harsh enough to compare him to Trump!

[Mixu62]

From my view half a world away Corbyn seems more aligned to Bernie Sanders. I think both of those names could surprise a few people. Corbyn may re-vitalise the left in UK, possibly even in Scotland. The Tory controlled print media may be surprised by the renewed appetite for genuine left-wing values/policies and they may win back support that was lost in the Blair/Brown era. If Sanders wins the Dem nominaton, he could do likewse in the US, though there's every chance his presence would galvanise the right.

[Keith_M]

Does anyone else get a horrible mental image of Trump as President speaking to Putin on the phone and with his thumb over a big red button saying, "you're fired"?

[Onceinawhile]

If trump becomes president I expect retrospective applications for the mission to Mars to skyrocket.