A Global Vote for the Next U.S. President?

Are you tired of hearing the same old, same old from the candidates during the primary debates?  Do we need some fresh insights?  Important as withdrawal from Iraq is, are there not other pressing foreign policy issues that we need to hear about from the candidates?  Here’s an idea for you.  Everyone in the world should be able to vote for the President of the United States because U.S. policy has such a pervasive and sometimes negative effect of the whole world.  Radical?  But it makes a point and speaks to the (mis)use of U.S. economic, political and military power not only in other countries but also in multilateral institutions.  The debates might get more interesting too, if people from other parts of the world had input.

In an era when the U.S. has ignored its international treaty obligations (think Geneva Conventions and nuclear non-proliferation), tries to manipulate multilateral institutions (think the U.N. Security Council), throws around its military might (think Iraq and Iran), and ignores its global obligations (think climate change), it is no wonder people of the world are saying “basta,”  “enough already.”

A key question, mostly ignored during this Presidential season, is how should the U.S. participate in international relations?  How and when should we engage in multilateral negotiations for the global common good?  What are our obligations to international treaties, those we have signed and those we have not?  What is really in U.S. self-interest in this globalizing world?  Are there limits to national sovereignty?  If so, what are they and when do they become operative?  Does Catholic Social teaching have anything to say to these questions?

And critically, what do our candidates, both republican and democratic, think about these and so many other issues of foreign policy.

Check the Center of Concern’s Election 2008: Voting the Common Good (www.coc.org/election2008)  for some discussion of these key issues in the third issue brief “International Relations: Vote the Global Common Good.”  While you’re there you may also want to check other Election 2008 Resources “Common Good Framework” and “Immigration.”   Be informed, be engage and vote the global common good for the good of all of us.

Posted by Maria Riley, OP - Senior Advisor, Global Women's Project.

Comments

[Angie]

You are kidding, right? Let the whole world vote for OUR president?
If that happened, will we get to "vote" for the leaders in other countries?

Excuse me if I'll stick to our current ways of doing things. There's nothing wrong with taking care of our interests AND doing our best to help the rest of the world. I don't want to take a chance that my freedoms will be taken away because some other country's sense of what women should and should not be allowed!!

[Sr. Rose Sheridan CSJ]

I agree wholeheartedly with your point. However, I believe that the greater majority of citizens do not care enough about the rest of the world and therefore to ask candidates to address this in the manner you describe, I believe they would be unpopular. I do believe that the discriminating person should try to discern the candidates position on these most important issues!

Sr. Rose Sheridan CSJ

[Bob Podzikowski]

Your observation that people throughout the world are often directly affected by US elections is clearly valid. Obviously, vested interests in this country would never allow them to have a direct say in US politics however. In fact, most American citizens, who unfortunately are too often both self-righteous and fearful of others, wouldn't buy it either. I don't necessarily have an answer since even the United Nations - the existing forum for viewpoints of all nations and their citizens to be registered - is ignored whenever it conflicts with the interests of the most powerful nations. Perhaps only some sort of widespread, spiritually-based, nonviolent movement across the world (something like February 15, 2003) could have even a remote chance of success.

[Maria Riley]

Yes, my suggestion that people all over the world vote for the President of the U.S. was indeed tongue in cheek. And I agree that such a plan is politically not feasible. But the idea does generate some thought and various reactions. Thank you for responding.

Maria Riley

[Jean-Paul]

An interesting thought, but as you say made "tongue in cheek". But it is extremely frustrating to watch, from a distance and unable to do anything about it, an event that is going to have such a major impact on the lives of so many people in the world.
When a lie repeated often enough becomes the truth, e.g weapons of mass destruction, axis of evil, Iran, etc
When double standards apply, e.g. democracy in Iraq, but not in Saudi Arabia
When the principle "If you are not for me, you are against me" applies
When you do not sign the Kyoto Protocol, for purely selfish internal economic reasons
And what about the reaction of the Washington Post to the US$ 2,500 vehicle produced by Tata "If millions of Indians and Chinese get to have their own cars, the planet is doomed". Coming from a country where there are 477 cars per 1,000 inhabitants (compared to 11 cars for every 1,000 Indians).
There does indeed need to be a change of heart
Your initiative to look at all the issues from a Catholic Social Teaching perspective could start us on this process

[The World Wants Obama]

This is a good post. Even though non-Americans can't vote, many of us are at least trying to express our opinions, given the huge impact US policies have on our lives.

See http://www.theworldwantsobama.org for evidence of his support from Denmark to Tanzania. 74% in Japan, 61% in UK, 71% in Brazil, 54% in Iraq...

Also see www.voiceswithoutvotes.org aggregating blogs about the elections from around the world

[Jonathan Hensley]

Great idea. Let's let them vote in all elections and on constutional amendments. Let's let them take out bill of rights away and freedom of speech, religion, and right to bear arms. I'll be the first to revolt.

[Charlene]

Even though non-americans can't vote, at least give us a chance to express and voice our opinions to this issue. Americans can just treat it as "extra" stuff.

[Paul Vedant]

Now there is a way that non-US residents can vote for the US president, at GlobalVotes.net.