Comments
Taking part in history
Yesterday was deemed far too a historical occasion to spend in the office. So the Decisive Flow team and some Irish folks headed along to the Southern cross to watch Obama be elected into office.
I know a lot of New Zealanders see the US elections as irrelevant to us, but I firmly believe in playing as active a role as you possibly can in anything that affects you (even if all that activity consists of is drinking beer and getting excited).
Despite the fact that producers on Al Jazeera and TV 3 should be fired for thinking that ANYTHING (let alone local random news) would be more important that showing Obamas acceptance speech live, the election was fascinating.
Americans should be proud today. I think this form of mass movement is what the world has been waiting for and I think Americans showed themselves and the world that they CAN take control of their futures.
The ability to vote is a marvelous thing. I hope New Zealander’s remember that on Saturday.
Hello, my name is Natalie, I have a business called 
November 6th, 2008 at 10:18 am
And a huge sigh of relief was felt across the country…
November 6th, 2008 at 11:10 am
Hey Claire!!!!!
I BET! You go USA!
November 6th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
And I can’t even begin to put into words what it’s like to be in Chicago during this miraculous time!!!
November 6th, 2008 at 10:50 pm
Interesting discussion in the office this morning about which would have a bigger impact on our day to day lives – the US or NZ elections. The real issues of our times (Climate Change etc.) will be resolved off our shores and while we all have our part to play it is refreshing to imagine a situation where America might be global leader rather than global bully.
Personally I wouldn’t be too proud to be American just yet, 46% still thought it would be a good idea to have Sarah Palin as vice president. Take http://www.iftheworldcouldvote.com/results for example, as admittedly skewed as the results are I think they still highlight a US population out of touch with the rest of the planet.
It’s easy to point the finger though, what will our election results on Saturday will say about Kiwis?
November 7th, 2008 at 2:11 am
While I agree with your point, according to the very few McCain supporters that I’ve heard from, it wasn’t Sarah Palin that made them vote Republican. In fact, many of them said, “Well, hopefully (if elected) he can stick around for another 4 years and we won’t have to worry about her!”
Now, that kind of ignorance and living in an alternate reality is just as bad as voting for Sarah Palin, I agree, and made me furious. But you also have to remember that there are narrow-minded folks everywhere.
And I wish you wouldn’t generalize the entire US population based on the Republican vote. There is still the majority that made the right choice – and we’ve been voiceless and blamed for a president that we never elected for the last 8 years. There are still those that adhere to the Republican ticket, but please give us some credit for having MORE voting citizens that think of the country as more than just it’s own entity, but part of a whole planet. At least we’re making some progress, and my sincere hope is that Obama will open up even more minds. It just can’t happen overnight if it’s going to happen at all.
November 7th, 2008 at 8:48 am
Joshua
I wonder if most of them even know we’re here! The weren’t electing a World President on Wednesday, they were electing an American President, the fact that the person in that role is called, by the press, Leader Of The Free World, is our fault, not theirs!
Here’s a thought. Let’s open up the doors of New Zealand to all comers. Let’s post the sign “send us your sick, poor, halt, lame, ignorant and savants and we will make a nation to be counted in the 22nd century!”
No? You don’t like that? You don’t see that it would do us any good to have a land-mass the size of Britain and a population to match? You don’t see that that would give us a self sustaining economy that didn’t depend on overseas spending to support our unaffordable life-style? THAT’s OK! We can keep on as we are then, a small country, at the bottom of the world, with a population smaller than Sydney, an economy smaller than Liverpool and less international influence than Ireland. BUT you have to stop complaining!!
November 7th, 2008 at 9:12 am
Hmm, I didn’t take Joshua’s comments as a complaint so much. But after walking to work the past two days and being confronted by a bunch of ‘youth’ (Who look no older than high school age’ waving National Banners around… I’m a tad worried about the New Zealand Elections.
Claire you are absolutely right. Everywhere int he world there are narrow minded people. While I am happy that these kids were excited and politically involved, I’m terrified that they are simply following (or rebelling) against mum and dad – If you are yet to learn how to support yourself how can you understand the impacts of new policies like Privatisation of Healthcare?
While the rest of the world appears to be realising the error of their ways, we appear to be about to vote in a government that swings in the opposite direction of where everyone else is headed. ‘Time for a change’ is a god-awful slogan to be elected on.
And you’re right Dave, we’ve got to stop complaining. But we also have to think of our country’s benefits – because we don’t impact anyone else and BECAUSE we are so small, we can do the things no one else can. We can make the kind of changes that Obama talks about, but probably will struggle mightily to achieve. Instead we seem to get so absorbed in our own petty worries and swept along by a bunch of ridiculous political jargon, which may end up in us causing a lot of damage to what we’ve achieved.
Claire, I and many others down here are applauding your country. Right down to the beautiful and powerful speeches by both your presidential candidates on Election night. They were true world leaders.