If the world could vote in the next US Presidential Election…it would be a landslide
My friend Rodrigo (obrigado) sent me this link and I feel a compulsion to share it.
Below is a snapshot of a poll taken from over 49,000 people around the world currently casting their vote online. Many of the countries, granted have scant coverage, but in the mass, the results are quite remarkable. Naturally, the 122 million or so Americans who vote (as in 2004), the local of issues of economics, health care, education, etc., are not on the radar for the rest of the world. And, like any poll, it is only “intentional”. Moreover, you don’t see any abstentions or undecided. Nonetheless, the question is whether the international “vote” has any impact — and the answer is unfortunately no. Middle America is not preoccupied with the point of view of the rest of the world — too much like the current Administration.
In this poll, incidentally, there is presumably a nonrepresentational vote from 9,129 people (18% of the total in this online survey) in the USA, who are 80% in favour of Obama. That said, the role of the internet is increasing in every political campaign, so it will be interesting to review the numbers of the below poll as we get closer to the real vote — and more emphatically to follow how viral messages start to circulate to galvanize support within the US electorate.
http://iftheworldcouldvote.com/results [now defunct] as of September 20, 2008 at 8am Paris Time.
Barack Obama 85.6% (41,987 votes)
John McCain 14.4% (7,059 votes)
Total number of votes: 49,046
Countries voted from: 149
Countries with a reasonably significant number of voters (ie above 60) where the proportion selecting McCain is higher include:
Czech Republic 42%
Venezuela 33%
Poland 28%
And, it would seem that the former USSR states are a little more right wing.
Another notion that is striking in this online survey are the countries with the largest number of voters (absolute numbers as of this morning).
Poland 7213, Spain 5283, Portugal 4493, France 2870, Iceland 2832, Canada 2058, Iran 1588….Israel 48 (and split 50-50).
Below is what it would look like if the world could vote in the presidential election, with the blue for Obama and the red for McCain.
A few others blogging on the same topic:
Paper Blog (Franco-English)
Boboleechronicles
BlackManx
Or again on Facebook: If the world could vote!
1) I wouldn’t like foreigners to tell me what I should vote… I am not sure this is good for Obama.
2) The vote in favour of “change” (= Obama) may mean the world wants the USA to change its very nature. It seems impossible. And worrying.
Christophe, you are right that no one wants the rest of the world meddling in one’s politics. On point 2, to my mind, there is need and room for change (education, health care, etc.). However, how far any change can be implemented will surely depend on the US people’s [our] recognition that it needs change. Otherwise, it’s an uphill battle.
Christophe makes a good point. The thing is though, the choice of the American president doesn’t just affect America. It affects to the whole world. Take a look back at what happened to us all during the last 8 years. If Obama’s detractors make a fuss over his popularity, then they really should be focussed on the real issues in their campaign.
Minter, thanks for linking to my blog, “The Bobolee Chronicles”.
We comment on the US presidential elections with many of our friends, Canadians, Europeans, Asians, and they all would vote Obama; but you (Christophe) are right to say that Americans do not appreciate this type of foreign recommendation on their vote.
Our friends finish the conversation saying “it’s their problem, not ours”. I disagree with that position, the US election and politics, and economy affects us all, much more than we think. Even their lifestyle and values affect us all (see environment politics). It is not our non American friends business to vote, but it is our business to understand the impact.