All you really need to know about polls: Look who paid for them, if you can. The questions, the people asked, and where they lived are in most cases, massaged to give a pre-determined outcome.
Yes, there are a few polls run in a balanced way to get results unknown beforehand, but they're extremely rare.
As far as Republicans vs Democrats? From a foreign country, one may look better than the other, especially when you consider that European news organs are in many cases even more liberal than US news organizations not named Fox. (and Fox deserves the name Faux, too, they ALL do, because not a one of them reports unbiased anything anymore.) Fact is, they're all a bunch of crooks who will do anything, say anything, to remain in office.
I don't like either one. I'm a fiscal conservative, strong on defense, *and* a social liberal. Strong on defense doesn't mean I think we should go start wars, but we also shouldn't let people walk all over our interests. Fiscal conservative is self-explanatory, and social liberal means I don't really care who's screwing who and their respective genders, as long as they're old enough to consent, and no one's being coerced.
Gay marriage isn't going to change the 'sanctity' of my 20-year hetero marriage, and that gay guy down the street isn't hurting anyone. He's comical, yes, but it's a free country. I can laugh at his antics, but I won't tell him who he can or can't sleep with, as long as they're of age.
So you see, with views like this, neither of the big parties is going to be good for me. Religious views are between me and whatever higher being I wish to commune with, or not.
In summary, from another country, the Republican party looks pretty evil, especially with liberal news organizations doing the reporting. I say that neither is particularly better than the other. The religious nuts think they should be allowed to tell people what to do on one side, while the far left thinks that 'free speech' is fine, as long as they approve of it first, which means it's not 'free' at all. Also, the current President's campaign loves to call you a 'racist' simply for disagreeing with his views.
In the end, the religious nuts and the far left liberals usually don't decide the elections. They're going to vote one way even if Joseph Stalin was running as their party's candidate. The middle usually decides it, and they'll vote who they like the most, or dislike the least, if the choices aren't good. I'm afraid 2012's going to be 2004 all over again. No good choice, so pick the one that scares you less.
Since I only post once in political threads, usually, I'll mention one last thing. The real issue with Obama isn't his politics. A President is expected to make decisions, compromise with Congress when needed, and get things done. In his arrogance, he's done very little for the past four years. Warts and all, our last Dem President, Clinton, did a much better job of doing that. Some of his decisions were wrong, in hindsight, but at least he made some. Obama makes good speeches, and railroaded a few things through a Democratic Congress that was already primed for them, but once the Republican Congress came, he won't even work with them.
Yes, there are a few polls run in a balanced way to get results unknown beforehand, but they're extremely rare.
As far as Republicans vs Democrats? From a foreign country, one may look better than the other, especially when you consider that European news organs are in many cases even more liberal than US news organizations not named Fox. (and Fox deserves the name Faux, too, they ALL do, because not a one of them reports unbiased anything anymore.) Fact is, they're all a bunch of crooks who will do anything, say anything, to remain in office.
I don't like either one. I'm a fiscal conservative, strong on defense, *and* a social liberal. Strong on defense doesn't mean I think we should go start wars, but we also shouldn't let people walk all over our interests. Fiscal conservative is self-explanatory, and social liberal means I don't really care who's screwing who and their respective genders, as long as they're old enough to consent, and no one's being coerced.
Gay marriage isn't going to change the 'sanctity' of my 20-year hetero marriage, and that gay guy down the street isn't hurting anyone. He's comical, yes, but it's a free country. I can laugh at his antics, but I won't tell him who he can or can't sleep with, as long as they're of age.
So you see, with views like this, neither of the big parties is going to be good for me. Religious views are between me and whatever higher being I wish to commune with, or not.
In summary, from another country, the Republican party looks pretty evil, especially with liberal news organizations doing the reporting. I say that neither is particularly better than the other. The religious nuts think they should be allowed to tell people what to do on one side, while the far left thinks that 'free speech' is fine, as long as they approve of it first, which means it's not 'free' at all. Also, the current President's campaign loves to call you a 'racist' simply for disagreeing with his views.
In the end, the religious nuts and the far left liberals usually don't decide the elections. They're going to vote one way even if Joseph Stalin was running as their party's candidate. The middle usually decides it, and they'll vote who they like the most, or dislike the least, if the choices aren't good. I'm afraid 2012's going to be 2004 all over again. No good choice, so pick the one that scares you less.
Since I only post once in political threads, usually, I'll mention one last thing. The real issue with Obama isn't his politics. A President is expected to make decisions, compromise with Congress when needed, and get things done. In his arrogance, he's done very little for the past four years. Warts and all, our last Dem President, Clinton, did a much better job of doing that. Some of his decisions were wrong, in hindsight, but at least he made some. Obama makes good speeches, and railroaded a few things through a Democratic Congress that was already primed for them, but once the Republican Congress came, he won't even work with them.
--Mav