Election Thoughts from Abroad

     While we were waiting for the results from the Presidential election on Tuesday, so was the rest of the world.  It is never just about us here in the United States.  As Margaret Copland of New Zealand once told me, "When the United States sneezes, we catch a cold."  It is no secret that the populations in most countries preferred President Obama to Mitt Romney who somehow had the knack of insulting everyone.  The British were offended when he expressed doubts about the 2012 Olympics and their readiness.  The Russians were upset when he called them our number 1 geopolitical enemy.  

     It seems only the Iranians preferred Romney. 

     I heard from friends from Iceland to Australia who were partying and listening to the results very late that night. 

     From France the next day, Helene Machetot wrote (and I'm translating here): "The public reaction is very positive. According to polls, the French were overwhelmingly for Obama, and in the Franco-American Paris, I know few people slept that night (with offset time) and partied in the cafes of the capital. Personally, I was happy, too, to see the TV from Chicago. We had many reporters in the U.S. (lucky for them!) and even our journalists were featured, and it was all very exciting.

       "Some, however, criticize the fact that so much airtime has been taken to comment on American elections, while the Europeans are struggling to manage the crisis ... and French factories are shutting down or relocated to Asia or North Africa. It is true that the problem of unemployment worries us a lot.  

       "Finally ... Congratulations to you and all the best!"

       Margaret wrote from New Zealand:   "Well done Wisconsin for their part in electing Obama. We were all watching the election with interest and relieved at the Democrat victory. It is rather hard for us to understand the attraction of what seems to us a rather weird Republican party agenda. We didn't much like your last Republican president, we didn't like our troops being involved in wars that we didn't believe in. I don't understand how putting people out of work benefits the economy (We have that nonsense in NZ as well ) We care about America and want to see a strong American economy, fair taxation and wouldn't it be wonderful if the worlds greatest country could lead the world in democracy,which to me involves making it easy for people to vote, in equality, (great wealth and great poverty in one country is not a good look) and justice.

       "To those who fear socialised medicine let me tell you my story. I have no health insurance - Having grown up in NZ, health insurance seems to me a bit like queue jumping. In New Zealand we have the same doctors in both the public and private hospitals. Anyway I believe that good medical care is a right - and I have never grudged my taxes for that purpose especially when I compare them to the horrendous premiums that my sister pays in Hawaii for Health Care. Socialised medicine is a bargain - my American sister pays a lot more in Insurance Premiums than I do in total taxation.

     "Here's how it works. A couple of weeks ago I had a heart attack. An artery was blocked. I was having lunch in Christchurch with my friend, Dianne at the time - we went for a walk after lunch and weI realised something was wrong so Dianne rang the nurse at her doctors surgery (my doctor was thirty miles away in Darfield). The nurse said the symptoms added up to a heart problem and sent an ambulance - No charge. The ambulance arrived and the guys did some tests and took me into Christchurch hospital (Ambulance is partly funded by charity - I later received a voluntary bill for $80 which I intend to pay) I spent 5 days in hospital - they gave me medication and tests and got onto my blocked artery immediately. They put in a stent. Tests showed that there was almost no damage to my heart and two weeks later I am feeling pretty good, Cost to me - zero.

       "I came home with 3 months medication: Cost to me: Zero.

       "Yesterday I went to my doctors surgery so they could check on my blood pressure. That was done by the nurse - cost to me: zero.

       "In six weeks I have a hospital appointment and there is follow up classes on lifestyle issues. Cost to me: Zero.

       "When I am no longer under the hospital my doctors appointments will cost $30 - $40.

       "Because cost was not an issue I got excellent care, immediately and was spared anxiety - I will continue to pay my taxes cheerfully.

       "Last election I had such a lot of your good citizens worrying their hearts out about Obama and medical insurance -(Margaret performed for American tourists in Christchurch.) they were all paying more in medical insurance than the average person would pay in taxes and they were terrified that the undeserving poor would get decent treatment - it made me sad especially when it was prefaced with Christianity. And it does nothing good for your health system!

       "I'm fine - just one small stent - my heart is strong and because there were no delays there is almost no damage. My wrist sported a bruise that disappeared in a week. If my mother had had a blocked artery she would have got an operation with months of healing, a scar and she would have been weakened by the experience. My grandmother would probably have died. It is something of a miracle - my surgeon said when I thanked him - 'this is happening every day, all day, all over the world - well most of it.'  Isn't this a great time to be alive?"