Busts of the two presidential candidates at Madame Tussauds

Wax Museum in Washington D.C.

We Filipinos Must Learn from the American Election (The Bohol Standard, The Philippines)

"Despite the fact that this years poll is more important than any previous U.S. election, the exercise of political discourse is much more mature and open than we have ever witnessed in any Philippine election. ... How shall we conduct our elections come 2013? Will we see a parade of actors and actresses? Will we be confronted with choosing from evil and lesser evil?"

EDITORIAL

October 4, 2012

The Philippines - The Bohol Standard - Original Article (English)

The rumble in Denver: Must-see viewing for the rest of the world? BBC NEWS VIDEO: U.S. presidential debate: who won round one?, Sept. 30, 00:03:12

Less than two months from now, the American people will choose their leader. And once Americans have chosen, the world will to some degree consider the newly-selected president the leader of the world.

America remains the sole superpower, at least for now. Despite its economic distress, America continues to dictate and demand how nations should behave and treat each other. The countrys economic health, whether robust or ill, has a direct impact on the wealth of other nations.

The American election is a critical moment in history. It will define not only the direction America takes in the next four years, but even more so, it will lay out the very future of the world. Every U.S. election is a global political moment that is hard to ignore.

For the Philippines, the U.S. election plays a more significant role for millions of Filipinos than it does to the lives of people with many other nationalities.

The U.S. hosts four million Filipinos who comprise 1.5 percent of the American population. Immigration, employment, health insurance and education are among the primary issues when sizing up Filipino voting power in the U.S.

Regardless of whether Barack Obama or Mitt Romney wins the presidential race, our public officials, led by President Aquino, will inevitably and immediately signify their support for the newly-installed president. We have yet to hear a public official express open disgust toward a U.S. president.

On the other hand, the Philippines can learn much from this years U.S. election. Despite the fact that this years poll is more important than any previous U.S. election, the exercise of political discourse is much more mature and open than we have ever witnessed in any Philippine election.

Posted by Worldmeets.US