Election Woes

Being outside of the U.S. during this time of the political season makes me more and more conscious of how much other countries know about American politics, and how little I know of theirs. For the past few days, I've heard so much talk (granted, there was little discussion) about American politics, about the future president and the election's global impact; yet, it's only recently that I've listened carefully to the discussions outside of the States. Despite a few years of higher education, I've become another college-educated person who is practically ignorant of the global issues--being mostly absorbed by "me/us" mentality. What's the impact of Bush's re-election? Aside from domestic policies, how will foreign relations change? // Not surprisingly, a lot of American businesses in Vietnam are pleased that Bush is back in the office--especially b/c of their interests in burgeoning markets in Vietnam. Yesterday, while watching the election at the U.S. Consulate Pubic Affairs Office, I overheard a caucasian male businessman talking to a Vietnamesse lady. Although I was not intent on listening to their conversation, they were seated right behind me, preventing me from listening to the CNN news anchor; unwittingly, I was a silent participant. Businessman said he didn't want Kerry to win and Lady responded by asking what does Bush offer that Kerry doesn't. I silently applauded the question, thinking that such a question is often left unasked and unanswered. Businessman proceeded to explain in his slow and cumbersome way (as if she couldn't understand him--but on the contrary, through hearing her questions, I gathered she was good with her second (?) language, which I'm sorry to admit, I assumed he didn't even have) that Kerry doesn't support small businesses, and that Kerry would raise taxes or eliminate tax cuts. She asked what the current tax rate was, and what Bush offers in terms of taxes, suggesting that tax was already rather high. Businessman had to agree, but insisted that Kerry would do worse. In those brief moments, Lady's questions confirmed for me that most people, me included--in whatever regard, in whatever situation--often forget to breathe the questions and live inside the answers in order to truly know, to live, what they are thinking and saying. // "Don't search for the answers, which could not be given to you now, because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer." --Rilke, Letter Four, Worpswede, 1903.