US presidential elections 2012

They’ve been voting in the USA today.

I’ve been remembering this time four years ago when, after something of a rollercoaster ride, Barack Obama became the first black president of the USA. I recall how relieved I was that the somewhat sickening “God-bless-America” rhetoric of the Bush years was finally over. I also recall holding back the tears listening to Obama’s inaugural speech in January 2009.
Clearly, given the world’s financial crisis, it’s been difficult for Obama to push through his policies (especially given the frustrating, Republican majority in the Senate).
The fact remains that, as far as I’m concerned, I feel far “safer” with Obama in charge compared with the rhetoric of his Republican opponent, for example: "I love America's greatness… America got it right… This is the greatest nation in the history of the Earth, and there is no reason the president of the United States should go around the world apologising for America".
Romney frightens me. His views on abortion, stem cells, climate change, foreign policy (and attitudes towards the rest of the world), gun-control, pro-business, pro-rich and a whole host of other matters.
My good friend Steve Cox posted the following on facebook today:
“To my dear American friends, please see sense today. Forget those deep genetic beliefs in The Frontier and Manifest Destiny, put aside the obsession with guns, gays and God and acknowledge that the rhetoric is only that, Obama is not a Marxist nor will the country go to hell if he gets 4 more years. He would barely register as a liberal democrat in a European setting. It matters to us all that the US thrives and takes its place in the world but not with the false belief they have a God given right to run it.
Obama it must be, four more years of hopey changey stuff, please”.
I couldn’t agree more!
Normally, I’ve only been too keen to listen to the BBC’s World Service and to keep up to date with the very latest news on the political ups and downs… but, actually, I stopped listening some days ago – not because I’m not interested, but because I fear that Romney MIGHT win (if only Obama had “won” the first televised debate!).
I think the thing that I find most frightening about the US presidential election has been the ridiculous amount of money that has been poured into the process - each of the candidates has spent AT LEAST $1BILLION (yes, a billion!) on this election.
It seems that, in order to compete in US politics, you need bucket-loads of cash!