Posted on 01/04/2008 2:06:34 AM PST by 1Peter2:16
From the desk of The Brussels Journal on Thu, 2008-01-03 11:45 A quote from the editorial in the Brussels newspaper De Standaard, 3 January 2008
American presidential elections are not “home affairs.” American decisions have repercussions all over the globe. The American mortgage crisis affects banks in Europe. The insatiable American demand for oil makes the Arabian sheiks rich. The American refusal to care for the environment causes the North Pole ice to melt and coastal areas in Asia to flood. A weakened dollar and an immense budget deficit affect the global economy.
Hence, the world should be given the right to vote. Because the current situation is a blatant case of taxation without representation, against which the Americans rebelled in 1776. But of course the world will not be allowed to vote. The best we can hope for is that the Americans choose a leader who is deeply aware of the U.S.’s responsibility, as a superpower, for the rest of mankind.
The international community was able to limit America’s hegemony somewhat through organisations for international consultation, agreements and the corresponding judicial apparatus. But that system is in crisis, partly through the actions of the current American president.
Fission or fusion?
“Liberal Europeans DEMANDS the right to vote in US elections. Jeez, sorry Europeans — the only way is by 2 ways...”
The constitution offers a 3rd. These countries can petition to become part of the United States if they meet the criteria set forth by the Congress and the Constitution. Once in, you are an American citizen and enjoy full voting rights.
reliability is not anything.
Today a failure in the motormanagement is likely to be caused by a softwarebug or a failure in sensorics that sends the system into a failsafe mode - so you can only use half of the motorpower - beeing fixed in an hour while you drive a replacement car.
If that happens 7 or 10 times in the car’s lifetime it will seriously harm reliablity stats - but doesn’t meen you’ll have to sleep with the rattlesnakes in deathvalley.
It’s not like these things would loose a wheel or something.
The US had some problems with identifying the 9/11 plot, and that can be laid directly at the feet of the Clinton Administration and its horrendous agent Jamie Gorelick, who was responsible for installing the firewall which prevented the sharing of intelligence.
Actually, reliability is EVERYTHING!
I work with a lot of folks who drive BMW and Merc’s.
They don’t like the frequency of trips to the shop and they really don’t like the cost of “routine” maint.
Sold their X5 and bought a Honda Pilot!
If you want to be seen as even somewhat conservative, a bit of advice: Don't parrot false lefty talking points.
I knew that one stuck.
well I guess thenn thats the reason the german car makers sold 7% more cars in a declining US car market in 2007. Against all Dollar odds.
Wrong conclusion!
My last 3 cars:
84 Nissan 300ZX
95 Acura Legend
07 Acura MDX
Which German cars would you care to compare for reliability or sales?
ahh jeez I don’t know I am driving a Ford.
and I may add, that the preceeding car of my brand new mondeo diesel was a mondeo diesel
and when you passed a 40t truck in heavy rains occasionally the air flow sensor usually got wet feet and the control unit switched the motorcontrol to fail save - but you could still do 130 km/h with it and it was safe - so all I had to do is have it fixed on warranty while driving the shops alfa romeo to office.
I never had a thought about to buy a more reliant car - I just love the efficiency of nowaday diesels.
So if Volkswaagen was a customer of me - I wouldn’t be driving Ford. I would be having an Audi A4 diesel avant with the double clutch gear box.
And that was the motivation...? Strange.
motivation was that it’s an economic car. It offers comfort and safety - and with the new modell even a neat look - for an unrivaled low amount of money.
Nothing strange with that from my view - but I doubt it’s as reliable as a lexus. Until now (5000km) I certainly have not found out what that could mean.
I found out though, that voice input is a nice way to alter the temperature in the drivers zone and a radar based cruise controll is also nice on lively highways.
Would I be driving the new A4 i’d have a more powerful motor and even less noise at higher speed.
I just would loose my brown nosing points with my favourite customer.
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