I've become increasingly aware that there are a lot of people who read Kos from other countries - I've seen posters from Canada, UK, Australia, Germany, and Norway. I know that Bush is - to put it mildly - not popular abroad. This is one of the big reasons I am ABB: because I don't think this country can have Bush as our face abroad for another 4 years. Before I get into the heart of my post, I'll say a little bit about myself.
I was born in London, UK and lived the first 9 years of my life there. My father is from Northern Ireland, my mother from California. I moved to Pennsylvania when I was 9 and have lived in the US since then, but spent 4 years in Montreal when I went to University there. I still have a British passport, although I am an American citizen also (and have been since birth). I still have many relatives in the UK and many friends in Canada. Thus, the Bush administration has been a disheartening, if interesting, experience for me, as I have seen America's moral position in the world sink to what is probably an all-time low. This depresses me, for as I sometimes dislike America, I love it at the same time.
I am interested in what non Americans think of this election year. What do you think of Bush? What do you think of American politics?
Also, I have seen a few threads on which nonAmericans have asked what they can do to help out the Democrats. I would say this: don't involve yourself directly in the process - this will probably only create a backlash and will be used as a useful Republican talking point with which to bash the Democrats. Don't give money, either: this is probably illegal. However, I would suggest talking to any American you may happen to meet about the election and tell people why Bush is bad for America's place and image in the world. Also, I would suggest writing letters to the editor, particularly to conservative European publications like the Telegraph, the Times, and the Economist. (sorry, only British examples - I don't know any other country's media well enough). This might not seem like much, but it is small things that like this that - when added together - can lead to a critical mass that can have an important effect. Every little bit helps.