Poll: Who Do You Want to Win Today's Presidential Election?

Online Surveys & Market Research

I've always been curious about the real world politics of virtual world users, so this Election Day, let's talk Presidential candidates: Which US Presidential candidate do you want to win? I ask the question this way, so anyone anywhere in the world can answer, whether or not they can even vote in the race. (Though if you are eligible to vote, for God's sake please do.) After the race is decided, we'll tally up the all-important virtual world voting bloc.

Obama's Second life avatar, by the way, is by Mrsigmund Fride, which I wrote about here.

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Comments

[Emilly Orr]

I'll go on record: Obama. He hasn't been our greatest president, but he's worked hard to fix the problems the US has. And given my choice between the guy who's at least trying, and the guy who's trying to buy the election, the choice is pretty clear.

Or put it another way: do we want to make President the guy who pays taxes, or the guy who does everything he can, including fraud and embedded shell accounts, to evade every tax; who, moreover, wants to extend that same privilege to everyone else who makes more, as individuals, than some entire states?

Honestly, if Obama wasn't on the ticket? I'd vote McCain over Romney. I'd vote Herman Cain over Romney. I'd vote nearly ANYONE else over Romney. Write in your favorite fictional character; he'd likely do a better job than Romney, if he takes office.

[Arcadia Codesmith]

There ARE more than two choices, you know. I voted for Jill Stein. Rocky Anderson is also solid. In a pinch, I'd take Gary Johnson over Romney. Heck, I'd take Virgil Goode over Romney; he may be crazy, but it's a refreshingly honest brand of crazy.

[Ajax Manatiso]

People who visit SL sites usually are or were regulars on SL itself, and that is a group who is above average in intelligence. They can see Obama took us from the brink of disaster to a semblance of stability, while Romney wants to suck the life out of the American economy for the sake of a few billionaires, and if America suffers -- ain't no skin off his back. The Romney voters are millionaires looking to avoid paying taxes and the millions of below and well below average intellects who were fully duped by spin.

[TG]

Yesterday there was an interesting article about US elections in Der Spiegel, which is one of the most widely-known German magazines:

America Has Already Lost Tuesday's Election

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/commentary-total-capitalism-and-the-downfall-of-america-a-865437.html

It's hard to express it better than in the second last paragraph of the summary:

"The truth is that we simply no longer understand America. Looking at the country from Germany and Europe, we see a foreign culture. The political system is in the hands of big business and its lobbyists. The checks and balances have failed. And a perverse mix of irresponsibility, greed and religious zealotry dominate public opinion."

[Iggy]

Thank you for the link, TG. The US system was already half in its coffin before The People United decision. Now it's broken completely and in the hands of big money, more than ever before. Both parties are captives.

FWIW, I'm a right-leaning Green. We do exist in the South, favoring guns rights, military power, libertarian approaches to social issues, and strong environmental protection. I look first at a candidate's stance on environmental issues and consider climate change to be an existential danger for our civilization.

So I went for Obama, though he's disappointed us. Perhaps he'll take stronger action in the next four years and appoint some Justices. Then the next Supreme Court can get rid of corporate "citizenship" and reduce the ruination of politics by money.

[Rin Tae]

The quote from The Spiegel above is very true. The Unites States seem to have drifed away and are now somewhere, where it is difficult for many outside of it's borders to understand how this country is actually working. At the same time I have the impression that many people in the US, does not have any feel or understanding any more about what is going on in the world.

And it is not only about how much influence money has over the political decissions .. this is true everywhere .. it is also about what is being said, what is being communicated and how there is some strange mixture of religious ideas right out of the middle ages and ultra-capitalism together with the unshaken believe that everyone looks up to the USA and how they are leading the world ... to be honest, I get the feeling that people outside of the US fear the republicans or that someone like (more of a evil-image and less like the real but not very known) Romney will win and that the tea party will now have a say over US politics.

This is of course a bit over the top what I have written above, but for me, I can say, that I can't understand the ideas and the resoining o the current republican party. And I feel like this, even while knowing about how international politics work and that none of what Romney said about how he will act will actually ever happen because there are enough sane people to stop him and he can't be that crazy himself (I hope ;P ).

But as I said to a freind a while ago .. what the current people in the republican party say and want is so strange that they just as well be aliens from another planet.

I also feel very sorry for the many people in the republican party who do not share such extremist views.

[Ive Voted]

Romney/Ryan.

Obama=weak, failing America.

[David Cartier]

Just aside from the fact that my income is now half of what it was five years ago, to the point that SL and gaming in general is getting to be a luxury hobby, I see a President who has alienated our House of Representatives and Senate to the point at which they will no longer work with him or compromise with each other. I see failed foreign policies everywhere. Our embassies are not being protected, our important allies have been abandoned, Germany has been allowed to remilitarise to the extent that they are again actively badgering other nations in Europe, as well as interfering in Africa and Central America. Nothing is being done to curb the aggression of unfriendly nations like Iran and Pakistan. Too much of our money is being given to China, for mostly worthless crap, and to a bunch of caveman-level tyrannies for their oil and hate.
On the domestic front, billions have supposedly been spent on our infrastructure, but it is still vulnerable to bad weather and terrorist actions. Billions have been given to green energy companies, only to disappear like the promised jobs. Foreign and domestic hacker groups are freely allowed to attack our internet commerce and web sites, with little fear of vengeance or reprisals.
On the other hand, should Republicans gain control of the White House, Senate and House of Representatives, they are almost guaranteed to dick around and NOT focus on the economy,but rather on unconstitutional marital issues. Both parties are pretty comtemptible and worthless now.

[Scarp Godenot]

I am really glad to see the don't care percentage is very small.

People at least are paying attention to what is going on. And that is somewhat reassuring.

And yes, the Der Spiegel article is interesting. But what the Europeans don't quite understand is that in the US, the corporate interests have found a way to manipulate the voters into doing what they want. And that this is new and dangerous to the entire world in that income inequality continues to rise.

Europe is not immune to these techniques that will very soon be used against them in their own countries.... This is a warning for them to be vigilant...

[ZZ Bottom]

Scarp is right but for now, news spread faster, so Europeans will try to prevent the same destiny of Usa on that matter!
Still, one must be reminded, in more then 200 years of history, never any Usa president did worse then any European leader!
The menace to the World as we know it, will never come from Usa but mucc more from the same old continent that always fu**** up all!

[ZZ Bottom]

Still i hope that Obama wins again, the World needs assurance and stability and it must be again USA to give the example!

[Emilly Orr]

TG, thanks for that article. I think it's right on its major points. I, too, don't see this as a battle between the sainted lawyer and the cutthroat capitalist.

I *do* see this, though, as a battle between social policy and economic policy. What does the US really want as a voting body? I'm hoping they see equality for all, medical care for all, education for all, social support for all, as being inherently of more value than repression of one entire gender and getting only what we can afford to pay in to the system. The fact that Romney publicly stated--and seemed to genuinely *believe*--that we don't turn injured or ill people out onto the street for non-payment of medical bills as an honest and understood truth terrifies me. He has a basic, primal disconnect with the way the world works. Emergency rooms *do not* replace ongoing care. Gutting welfare and food stamp programs *do not* keep people working, keep people healthy and productive.

And the wealthy 1% *do not* create more jobs, but they're pretty good at gutting the companies that made them that 1% in the first place. And Romney's right there with them. If it doesn't turn a percentage of profit for him personally, he doesn't think it's of value.

I know my vote, to my understanding, had to play into the two-party system, because unfortunately, that's the system we have. No other political party has any representative power in our current government. But even limited to that, there is no single platform issue from Romney's camp that I agree with, and many that I think are actively dangerous.

[Indigo Mertel]

>> Our embassies are not being protected, our important allies have been abandoned, Germany has been allowed to remilitarise to the extent that they are again actively badgering other nations in Europe, as well as interfering in Africa and Central America. <<

What?!? David, where did you get that?!? If the current German government can be criticized for something is the stubborn insistence on resolving the economic crisis with too strict policies, and certainly not through military power. And even that position has soften up. I'd be interested in knowing the source reporting this new German rising militarism. I find the whole thing rather hilarious.

[Metacam Oh]

Funny the Romney / Ryan guy is anonymous. Because he has no leg to stand on. Weak? laughable.

[Ive Voted]

Weak you say? Oh I disagree. Watch this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=gsa4uLmTw0M#!

[Metacam Oh]

You are linking to a conservative promoted ad, can you get any more brain washed? Get some facts please. Obama has killed most of Al Qaeda off including Osama Bin Laden, so not sure what he has to do to not be weak? He has to drop an A Bomb on Afghanistan? Please get some basis in reality that's all I ask. There are plenty of criticisms of Obama, but the ridiculous faulty based insane attacks on the guy constantly wind up making me defend him because you are attacking on false premises. Then expect people to vote for the alternative Mitt Romney who no one has a damn clue where he stands on any issue except that he favors the wealthy.

[Ive Voted]

Dear Metacam, if you say I'm wrong you better prove I'm wrong. The guy is a complete and utter failure. And you call me the brainwashed one? Pfffffffffft.

I have a solid basis in reality, in fact. I know that as a member of the middle class who is trying to keep my head above water, that this current president(hopefully ex in a little while) is not working for the interest of this country or people like me. No.

You are a statist, obama is a statist, this is why you align with him and it's very destructive to this nation as a whole. Listen to what Reagan said near the end of that video. No truer words have ever been spoken. May Romney be victorious tonight. May Obama get a pink slip.

[pepys]

Liberals are all about the Individual. Conservatives are all about Family and Group Identity. It's always been like this.

Too bad we've evolved into separate branches of human. This is why we might not ever have nice things again.

For my part, the difference was a choice between the tax cheat and flip flop demagogue or an inexperienced, fumbling-at-times President and his inept cabinet all of which have failed to develop any consensus with Capital Hill, better known as a "Do Nothing Congress."

But he has had some shining moments; the raid by the 6th SEAL team that killed Ben Laden, the health care system which seems to be better than before (not sure yet).

So, in the end I voted for Obama. Perhaps he will win but make no mistake, either one is neither qualified to lead this complex country.

We need real leadership.

[David Cartier]

Indigo, will you deny that German Foreign Minister Westerwelle last week announced that the Bundeswehr will be intervening militarily in Mali, in order to prop up your murderous puppet government in Bamako? That conservative German legislators are pressuring Poland and the Czech Republic for territorial concessions in Sudeten and Pommern? That the Bundeswehr continues to occupy Serbian territory, despite the clear evidence that it is supporting a criminal narco-state? Or that the European Court of Auditors (ECA) is making serious accusations against the German-EU Kosovo occupation policy? In a recent conversation, a member of the German military attaché here in Washington mentioned that the Bundeswehr was blessed in that they don't have to serve with any Jews. I told him that I was proud to serve with Jews, and that one of them is my son.
You Germans are all still lower than the hair on a flea's ass. You never change.

[Rin Tae]

The problem with international forums is, that often people from the nations that are mentioned read them .... so let's start with Mali .. indeed, a intervention in Mali has been mentioned but it is not something that Germany would do alone since Germany is utterly incapable of doing it and it's army will fight tooth and nails to prevent the politicans to agree on such a thing as they knew very well about what they are capable of and what not. Chances are big, that this idea has been put forward by the German gov because of it's poor political performence during the revolution in Lybia (just like it seems that the strong acting of France in Lybia might have been fueled by it's poor performance in Tunesia before). Also I have not heard of any murderous regimes in Mali lately.
Also the foreign minister Westerwelle is hopelessly without any influence in the government after he lost all support from his party and been replaced as party leader. He is probably the one member of the gov who is by now more or less ignored by the public and the media. What for sure makes Angela Merkel happy as this gives her free hand in acting and forcing her will and ideas on her coalition partner.

... but next point ...
there still is a group in Germany that clings on the past and screams about how they want their lands in the east back, but in Germany, noone listens to them and they are so utterly meaningless and without influence that I would not be surprised if the general public would not even be aware of their existence. And this is a point that is not that much recognized in the eastern countries where those peoples ideas and silly speaches are used by the right-wing populists to create an enemy they can point out and blame for problems. Them-against-us-policy .. easy way to create scandals and gather support with those who don't look for any serious information.

And next the EU itself! .. The EU as a institution is accusing Germany of many things .. and rightly so .. but not about any occupation because for this, there should first be an actual occupation. The KFOR forces came from 39 different countries including the US (the US also had the leed during the actual military intervention) and the biggest number of troops actually coming from Great Britain. Most has been already called back and from the remaining stabilization forces, the Italians seem to be most numerous (I am not sure about the exact numbers since I only quickly looked it up on Wikipedia). And those too are all about to leave the country. And considering that the people there want to be independend, I woud say the serbian state lost it's claim on that piece of land long ago.

And last point! I have not heard about any statement like this and usually if any official in germany says something that is out of line .. and it happens now and then .. they can forget any chance of future political careeer are thrown out of parties and are generally shamed out of their position. An interesting fact is, that Germany is one of the few countries in Europe where no far-right party is able to gather enough support to the point of them creeping a bit closer to the 4% hurdle that they need to take in order to get into parliament.

So besically .. facts are always your friend ^_^

And yay! .. Obama won .. and that is something I like even more because the radicals, extremists and dicatators of this world surly hoped for Romney to win and that he will start to act as he said he would and give them all the reason they need for more anti-US and general-anti-west-propaganda.

[Indigo Mertel]

David, it is obvious that your comments are ridden with prejudice and factoids, and it's easy to see why. Anyway, just to clear one thing: I am not German, I am Italian and an European who prides herself of being well informed. And while I can't claim to know Germany inside out, I am fairly confident to say that I know that country well enough to express a balanced opinion.

Rin Tae already gave some valid arguments to reply to your comments, I will add a few on my own:

1. Intervention in Mali: you fail to mention that Germany supports a military involvement as part of an EU mission and under the auspices of the UN. And military support would not be "in order to prop up your murderous puppet government in Bamako", as you say, but in support to the Mali's government to curb and defeat Islamic fundamentalist in the north of Mali, the same kind of insurgents that in the US are normally called terrorists. I also find highly ironic that such criticism comes from a country with a long history for supporting military (and fascist) regimes all over the world and for fighting several wars in defense of its own interests.

Also, let me quote additional details on what Westerwelle said ( http://bit.ly/WzF1VH ): "Germany's foreign minister stressed, however, that German support would stop short of providing Bundeswehr troops or arms. He said it was too early to have conversations about military action. "The focus on the military discussion is not appropriate and very premature," Westerwelle said, adding that any military intervention should be African-led."

2. Conservative German legislators are pressuring Poland and the Czech Republic for territorial concessions in Sudeten and Pommern: this is so irrelevant that is not even worth discussing. Extremist political fringes just express their own views, they do not represent the whole of Germany. Such nationalistic views are present all over Europe: Serbians, Albanians, Romanians, Hungarians, Bulgarians, they all dream of a larger nation. Their chance? Zilch.

3. The Bundeswehr continues to occupy Serbian territory: The Bundeswehr is present in Kossovo as part of an EU mission to avoid that people slaughter each other there. It's a peace keeping mission, not an occupation. And Rin Tae is right, the largest contingent in Kossovo is Italian. The fact that an European organism denounces the role of the EU mission only proves that the whole matter is part of the democratic system with its check and balances. We can discuss on the quality of the Kossovian governance but that has nothing to do with a "German military resurgence".

4. A member of the German military attaché...: the opinion of an idiot does not represent an entire country, David. This episode only supports your prejudiced views and we only have your word on it.

You also fail to mention, or simply ignore, that military intervention is a thorny issue in Germany. Germans are very aware of their historical responsibility and any military involvement is the subject of debates. On top of that, military intervention is restricted. I quote from Wikipedia ( http://bit.ly/YIxWAG ) : "a number of Constitutional Court cases in the 1990s established that the military may not be deployed by the government outside of NATO territory without a specific resolution of parliament, which describes the details of the mission and limits its term. There are also strict restrictions on the intervention of the military within Germany (i.e. a ban of the military being used for police-type duties), which generally only allow the military to act in unarmed roles within Germany (such as disaster relief)."

Incidentally, this is true for Italy as well, where the constitution prohibits any aggressive military intervention against other countries and it's the reason why Italian military forces have only been involved in UN or NATO peace-keeping missions since the end of WWII. This is a consequence of the historical responsabilities caused by fascism which make people in Italy *and* Germany weary of extreme nationalistic and militaristic instances.

What else do you forget? Ah yes, perhaps that the "rising German military menace" is the same that supports the US in Afghanistan with a small contingent as part of NATO, after long insistence of the US government?

There is a big misunderstanding on your side, David: you confuse an increasing military role of the EU to replace a reduction of military intervention on the side of the US, which is a logic thing considering the shift of the US interests. Europeans are called to increase their responsibilities and no longer exclusively rely on the US military cap. This has nothing to do with an alleged resurgence of the German military power. Germany is a democratic country no one longer fear in the EU.

[Arcadia Codesmith]

*fist bump Iggy*

I don't care which way you lean, if you care about the green, we're on the same team.

[Archangel Mortenwold]

Having voted for Jill Stein, the Green Party candidate, I am not happy with the outcome of the election. I'm glad Romney lost, but Obama will do all the things Romney would have done and then some, so really, last night was a Pyrrhic victory for what passes for the American left, which now has ZERO leverage with which to pressure Obama on ANYTHING.

So say goodbye to Social Security, Medicare, medicaid, public education, the post office, abortion rights, LGBT rights, voting rights, the right to dissent, the right to a trial before imprisonment and torture and execution, and the coastal areas of the U.S. when sea levels rise up and drown them.