Jaine * - my profile -alivenotdead.com

Yes we can!!

Was anybody else reminded of Bob the Builder during Obama's victory speech....

don't get me wrong, I am so happy he won and his victory speech brought tears to my eyes but afterwards Bob the Builder popped into my head!! Many Americans in NZ have since reported that they now feel proud and no longer have to pretend to be Canadian (it would seem Sarah Silverman was close to the bone in her humour).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IWKhYQarJU

Well today was Election day in New Zealand. Shorty and I voted and received special stickers to say we had voted (Shorty blogged hers, mine was destroyed as I loaded rubbish and green waste from my mums cottage onto a skip). I was tempted to vote for the McGilligudy Serious Party or the Bill and Ben Party but I didn't. I have a sinking feeling that in the week America finally votes left NZ will be voting right. sigh So I made sure my vote counted.

The Bill and Ben Party are not the same as Bill and Ben the Flower Pot Men

Their main policy is to get 1% of the vote so they can get the $1000 back that it costs to register a political party. Personally I hope they get it. I have blogged these guys before, anybody remember my pulp sports video:

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuZxrwye0DI

I guess it's a luxury to have parties like McGilligudy Serious or Bill and Ben here, as our politics are so stable one can poke fun at them and it doesn't matter. In NZ if you vote left or right both our main parties (Labour = left (red), National = right (blue) are fairly central anyhu.

NOTE we have MMP (Mixed-member proportional wheresome MPs (members of Parliament) are elected from local constituencies and others are elected from party lists. The number of MPs that a political party has in the House reflects the proportion of the votes that the party gained nationally in the election). This allows scope for smaller parties to enter Parliament, for example, the Green Party.

about 12 years ago 0 likes 10 comments 0 shares

J RS

You guys have weird politics....okay, I'm just being ignorant because I'm an American Idiot! ;-P Jon Stewart did a spoof on his show before the election by tying in Tito the Builder (being quoated by the Republican Party...2nd in popularity to Joe the Plumber) to Bob the Builder! Too funny! Hey, speaking of funny...loved that 2nd vid! Our Seattle Seahawks have so many players out with injuries, maybe they should recruit New Zealanders to fill out the roster! Yes, your vote does count!! Great job with voting. Okay...gotta go check out Shorty's blog! =)

about 12 years ago

Asian Chick

that's how we canadians vote too!... i think we follow the traditional british system. =) good to know! some americans were pretending to be CANADIAN! WOOOOHOOOOOOO, that's good news for us canadians. =) yeah, i cried when i found out obama won too! =)

about 12 years ago

Alicia Howard

I've been thinking throughout the campaign that "Yes We Can" was the title of Sinatra Rat Pack Member Sammy Davis Jr.'s 1966 autobiography which influenced me a lot. Here was a big star recounting the discrimination he faced as he traveled around entertaining people, a lot of white people, and just walking on the streets minding his own business. In my bubble of a childhood in a white middle class home I didn't and probably still don't appreciate the torture of racial prejudice. I just looked it up and it was entitled "Yes I Can" but everytime I'd hear that campaign slogan I'd think of Sammy. McCain talked about Joe the Plumber but then Palin repeated it about ten time for other people/occupations like a frigging pre-school teacher. Now that it's over it looks even sillier. That football one was funny and funnier there for sure. Glad your election went smoothly. Did you guys win?

about 12 years ago

Wendy Cheng

That's funny about the Americans in Canadian clothing! Good luck to NZ on the election.

about 12 years ago

Peachey

What are the big issues the candidates were addressing for NZ?

about 12 years ago

Sarah Ng

And what about the Green Party, aye? They did rather well!

about 12 years ago

Diana ダイアナ Saxon

I'm so GLAD our nation chose to go in a new direction with President-elect Obama ~ if McCain had won, I would have tried to figure a way to leave :P

about 12 years ago

Elena Stevenson

During the 2000 presidential election, I was still fairly new to the Internet. I decided to check out all the non-major-party candidates. There were hundreds, and very kooky ones, too. I remember one called himself RU Serious. I about died laughing.

about 12 years ago