It seems to have worked out just perfectly that my first year in France is an American election year. I came with the intention to understand the culture of France and advance my level of French but what has been the most interesting part is learning about French culture and simultaneously critiquing and comparing it with our own systems in the States.
One thing that has really stood out is the interest that France takes in American politics. Whereas in the United States, we tend to take little to no interest in international politics unless we feel threatened by someone who came into power. And even then, it’s usually only the most politically informed who seem to know about international politics with any sort of depth. I’m sure we could all take a lesson from that, because we aren’t the only one’s living on this planet.
Another plus, not only do the French seem more often politically and internationally informed, according to a recent study done by BBC, France is the country with the highest support for Obama. However, by living here, that fact is pretty clear.
An easy way to depict this is by showing some of the numerous magazines that feature articles about the upcoming election.
Here are a few examples that I love:
“Obama’s America”; the cover of the most well known magazine series in France. They published this magazine with a full, detailed description of current state of the United States and the context and implications of this in the upcoming election.
This is one of the articles in the same magazine that reads, “The Elusive Mitt Romey.”
Another magazine cover that reads, “Romney Against The World.” Sadly, a large portion of Americans can’t seem to see that…
This one reads, “The America That We Love, And Those Who Scare Us.” With clear intentional placement of Obama next to the words, “the america that we love” and Romney next to “those who scare us”.
After posting a few of these photos on my facebook page, an American friend of mine living in Nantes as well cleverly stated, “France loves to hate Romney, and I love France.” Which in my opinion pretty well sums it up.
Here’s an idea:
Run with that in a major ad for Obama the final weekend before the election.
Maybe you can also get readers of The Guardian to conduct a coordinated letter-writing campaign to Ohioans imploring them to vote for Obama.
Go for it.
@1
Wow. Somebody’s getting really testy.
Why don’t you threaten him with, “My dad can beat up your dad!”
Or demand that the yahoos go back to calling them ‘Freedom Fries’.
That seems to be the level you’re operating on.
@ 2
My point is that the foreign thing didn’t work for Kerry in 2004 (Recall his supposed list of foreign leaders who supported him, which was never offered up for scrutiny).
I’ll concede it worked for Obama in 2008.
However, in 2012, when the only thing that matters is the economy, to try to cast Obama as the friend of non-Americans is a loser argument. Voters want someone focused on the economy, not on the next photo-op with Hollande.
re 3: I’m not sure that Romney wants to give the Statue of Liberty back to France, but his and your concept of the motto written on its base would read thusly:
“Give me your
tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe freehighly educated masses who will work cheap , thewretched refuse of your teeming shorebest and brightest and nothing more. Send these cheap workers in order to help create an American citizenry that is homeless, tempest-tost and reminiscent of Dickens’ Victorian England.”I’m sure if this information gets around more, Limbaugh and the drones on Fox will start bloviating about “socialist” France and how they’re all a bunch of losers. Of course, that’s rather a dicey argument if they try to compare France to all its neighbors whose leaders are plunging into the miasma of “austerity” and where things are rapidly falling apart.
@3
You seem to have difficulty wrapping your pointy little head around anything that can’t be construed as a political cheap shot.
Roya was offing commentary about his/her experience in France and the political society there.
It wasn’t about tactics, it was about culture, and broadening one’s point of view.
God, you are insufferably stupid, or just so desperate to read your own self-satisfied, vacuous yawping that you can’t help yourself.
Maybe it is a tic. Have you considered medication?
re 3: You do understand that presidential races always tighten up toward the close, don’t you?
The only thing that Romney could have in mind with a 2 trillion dollar increase in defense spending is an apocalyptic world war.
Nobody gives a crap what france thinks….
Conservative troll:
Romney is doomed.
You know it.
Give up.
“God, you are insufferably stupid, or just so desperate to read your own self-satisfied, vacuous yawping that you can’t help yourself.”
Your bad. That shouldn’t have been an “or” statement.
Bob,
“However, in 2012, when the only thing that matters is the economy, to try to cast Obama as the friend of non-Americans is a loser argument. “
You really are coming off as totally unhinged. Or, to put it less politely, this election season has you twisted up like a pretzel, with your head firmly implanted in the caudal end of your alimentary canal.
What Roya did was write a blog post. This blog isn’t part of a campaign. We write whatever we want to write about.
Roya wanted to share her experience watching the election from France. I find it interesting.
You may not, but then don’t read the post. Either way, try to maintain, at a minimum, shreds of intelligence and dignity when commenting outside of open threads.
However, in 2012, when the only thing that matters is the economy,
You lie. You personally have been blathering on for days about Benghazi, and now suddenly the economy matters to you?
@6, Lib Sci: WORD
“France is the country with the highest support for Obama.”
Maybe they still remember Mitt’s missionary work.
Well done, Roya.
Some Americans could possibly learn something about ourselves from an outside-looking-in view.
I love my daughter!
Just heard a story on the radio the other day about the “love bridge” between Malmo in Sweden and Copenhagen. Thousands of foreign born spouses of Danish citizens cross the bridge so they can work or visit in Denmark but they are forced to live in Sweden because of the harsh immigration laws there put in place by right wing parties.
Right wing fear of immigrants is on the rise in Europe and Europe may not be as quite a welcoming place for expatriate Americans as it once was.
If an inveterate pathological liar like Mitt Romney together with his wealthy greed class political base somehow steals this election then this country is truly lost. Roya, stay away as long as you can. France looks like a good choice for the moment.
Sadly enough it seems there’s no safe haven for anyone any longer no matter who wins the election:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/comm.....-kill-list
Maybe we shouldn’t let any Americans vote and just let the European countries decide who should be prez. After all, you usual suspects are quite enamored of the Europeans, so I’m sure that things will go your way if we have Europeans choose out prez.