India just elected a woman president ... (Iran, Iraq, global warming, Mexicans)

[NewOldLompac]

I don't think whether or not I would vote for someone is the criteria I would use determine that candidates qualification to be President or capacity to carry out the duties of the office. I wouldn't vote for Hilary because I disagree with many of her policy positions. However I do think she is qualified and capable.

[Jason_Els]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

So which one is it? You say you want to vote based on ability or character, but you won't vote for Hillary because she's part of a dynasty? Are you saying that even if Hillary has the ability and character, you wouldn't vote for her because she's a former president's wife?

My apologies if I sounded vague.

I don't like her, personally, for those reasons (and others) but if she were, in my opinion, the best candidate for the job then yes, I'd vote for her. I didn't say I wouldn't vote for her just because I don't like her. To me they are separate issues. Like interviewing employees, you may find people with brilliant resumes whom you just take a personal dislike to but if they can do the job then you hire them. I don't know Hillary Clinton personally so I can't say for certain if my perceptions are fully correct but I do find her public persona to be grating and her boldfaced lying to be disingenuous.

I don't think she's the worst of the candidates out there, John McCain would be, IMO, a disasterous president even though I like and respect him more than Hillary.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Jason_Els

I don't like her, personally, for those reasons (and others) but if she were, in my opinion, the best candidate for the job then yes, I'd vote for her. I didn't say I wouldn't vote for her just because I don't like her. To me they are separate issues. Like interviewing employees, you may find people with brilliant resumes whom you just take a personal dislike to but if they can do the job then you hire them. I don't know Hillary Clinton personally so I can't say for certain if my perceptions are fully correct but I do find her public persona to be grating and her boldfaced lying to be disingenuous.

I don't think she's the worst of the candidates out there, John McCain would be, IMO, a disasterous president even though I like and respect him more than Hillary.

Fair enough -- thanks for the clarification.

[rd2007]

Originally Posted by Jason_Els

Actually....

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/cf/VWoodhull.jpg/200px-VWoodhull.jpg (broken link)

This is Victoria Woodhull and she was the first woman to run for president, doing so in 1872 for the Equal Rights party, long before women gained suffrage in 1920. In what may be an omen of things to come, her running mate for vice president was:



Frederick Douglass!

Needless to say, they lost. Perhaps it was Woodhull's advocation of free love or maybe it was just because she was a woman? Either way, her votes were not counted.

Plenty of other women have run before, here's a list.

Thank you for that, I should've researched more.
I will clarify it now though by stating I meant no mainstream one has run. Like the ones the more mainstream parties nominate, not that that makes them more qualified. definitely not

Originally Posted by Fuzz

India, Pakistan, Bangladesh have all had women heads of government since quite a while now. While it can be argued that they were elected because of their relations/connections to former powerful/beloved male leaders, it is still quite an "achievement" that such male-dominated societies actually voted for women to lead their countries.

As some have pointed out, we haven't had any (strong/realistic?) women candidates for the US presidency. This begs the question why not?

It'll be interesting to see how Hillary does. She is such a polarizing figure though, if she fails, it'll be hard to determine whether she didn't win because she's a woman or because she's Hillary.

I personally think it's because she's hillary.

Originally Posted by anonymous

I'd vote for a woman, if there was one whose policies I agreed with. So far there hasn't been one.

exactly. I vote for the candidate and they can feel free to send out a good one for a change..

Originally Posted by macmeal

Mooseketeer I'm not sure where you get your info., but I can assure you, if you ever come to America, and take the time to show up at the 4 AM opening of a Wal Mart 24-hour sale, you will see many examples of Neanderthals. They indeed still exist, and some are doing quite well, and many drive huge SUV's. Hardly a dying breed ......

ha ha ha, more like super rude, zombie cows

Originally Posted by jgussler

Why am I a neanderthal because "I believe" that we don't have a woman capable of running the country just yet? We have one running, but I don't think she's capable of handling it.

And by the way. I've noticed in my kids that when one has a hollow argument, that that's when the name calling starts.

I got it

[macmeal]

Originally Posted by Mooseketeer

MacMeal , I'm afraid as but perhaps I was mistaken ?
But then again I am a woman so I am of little Brains ( like Winnie the Pooh ) and due to my limited intellectual abilities cannot be expected to comprehend many intricate issues such as politics and world affairs ! I should go back to cooking, cleaning, sewing and looking after my manly man as it is only I am capable of ! Oh dear I better go and lie down, I think I have overworked my little grey cells ( the few I possess). Darn .

Now you are grasping it; and as our great spiritual leader John Wayne would have said it. "Honey, there ain't NO NEED for you to worry your petty little head about this here stuff ! You just RUN ALONG now, and make us men-folks a nice pot o' coffee".....You are improving immensely in your understanding of US culture......

[normalguy]

Going back to the original topic, I think it is not important that the
country have a woman president to show that women are really
empowered in the US. We obviously understand that in many third world
countries, women rise to top political positions based on their
family backgrounds, while in general, women are suppressed with
little education and few rights. Case in study: Pakistan and their
leader Benazir Bhutto (I believe she is in exile now). I doubt if India
is very different.

I bring to your attention, the following list:
The World's 100 Most Powerful Women - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If you count, you will see that there are numerous women in the
rank and file of politics, business and the like who are US citizens
and are really powerful. And, most of them are there because our
country has a system in place that encourages women to rise to
the very top.

I would rather have a competent president: man or woman does not
make a difference. As one of my friends recently remarked, even a
competent jackrabbit is ok as the president, I just don't want
another jacka**.

[Sweden]

Originally Posted by jhlcomp

Your thoughts please. Why is it that India among other nations elect a woman as president or prime minister and the US does not? Thank you.

Basically, I think it's because there have always been and still are people who reason like this:

Originally Posted by jgussler

Let me clarify it. We do not have one now, nor will we have one in the near future.

Aren't there MANY examples in US history of MALE presidents who should never had run for office? Take the present one for example who had made most of the world you enemy.

It isn't that there has never been or aren't any capable women who could do a great job if they just got the chance. The problem is that there has never been any room for them. It is just recently that women has had a "chance", but the fact is that a male will still have a better actual chance.
The difference is culture...

[rd2007]

Originally Posted by Sweden

Aren't there MANY examples in US history of MALE presidents who should never had run for office? Take the present one for example who had made most of the world you enemy.

I personally don't appreciate someone from another country saying anything about my government.. I realize you can post anything you want, anywhere you want to, but certain things should be sacred.. I've never once bashed the leader of Sweden (sorry, no clue who or what exact position that is) and I'd appreciate it if you did the same..
only exception is France, anyone can feel free to bash them

BTW, I've noticed from all of your posts that you despise the US. Just wondering what brought this on? and are you a student by any chance?

[Jason_Els]

Leader of Sweden? This most socialist of western democracies is.....

Still a monarchy!

His Majesty Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden

He's not even Swedish. He's French; a holdover from the Napoleonic era. They're one of those, "bicycling monarchies," as the Brits would say.



Sweden hasn't elected a female prime minister either though in fairness the leading female candidate for the position, the very popular Foreign Minister Anna Lindh, was assassinated in a department store in 2003.

[rd2007]

wow, that makes my it's ok to bash the french comment even funnier

I suppose I could've looked it up, but I've been lazy in the research department ever since I started going back to school.. besides, I wouldn't rip on Sweden. They have hot women, make great cars and aircraft and the ones I met while I was working with EUFOR were really nice people..