As a non-American one has to follow US politics closely - because anything these people vote for has serious - and I really mean serious - consequences for the rest of the world.

Thanks to MSNBC’s live stream I was able to watch the whole drama unfold last night (thanks to MSNBC for being so kind and allowing foreigner to watch their video as well - many American media outlets block foreigners).

Overall I am not the least bit surprised about the current state of affairs - and the obvious conclusions. (I know that this is only the first state of over 50 to cast their votes.)

America’s so called conservatives haven’t learned a bit from the dreadful Bush experience - nor have the Democrats.

Where is our next Christian Preehehehesident?!

Once again the born again citizens have pushed the next professional Christians to the top. Huckabee came out as the top dog followed by the equally christy Romney. Once again the religious affiliation reigns superior. The sheep demand a Shepard.

The Bush White House has hardly delivered any of the goods the evangelicals wanted, he didn’t fight poverty, nor did he overturn unpopular abortion laws. But still these religious people believe another one of ‘them’ will fix it this time.

On the Democrat’s side the picture is equally bleak. I consider Obama as the ultimate liberal excuse and fantasy: he is young like Kennedy and represents the biggest black icon Martin Luther King. This is a terrible addiction to symbols of the past, because neither Kennedy nor King did ‘finish’ their projects. And they both had some serious political deficits.

A small sidenote: I find it really strange that most popular Democratic icons (Clinton, Kennedy & King) are womanizers.

He is dead - get over it Democrats.

So America’s voters are still addicted to the same old qualities that make no sense in politics at all: likeability and electability.

Once again they are looking for a person that everybody likes - once again the search for the beer buddy. (Remember when they sold Bush to Americans as the presidential candidate you want to have a drink with?).

Electability is even worse. It just means finding a person that looks presidential enough to be elected. It does NOT mean finding the person who is best suited for the job.

Go for the transvestite: President and First Lady in one person!

That is why experienced leaders like John McCain, Joe Biden and to a certain degree Hillary Clinton did so badly in the polls. Also the analyses of the voter’s decision process shows that they give a shit about political experience and good (international) network to make things happen.

They want change - whatever that is to them.

Apart from unelectable ‘weirdos’ like Ron Paul and Denis Kucinich none of the candidates have shown any solid ideas or visions - nor commitment - for true change - just more of the same.

All that talk about health care and getting out of Iraq is just that - cheap talk. None of them really touched farm subsidies, a REAL energy policy, a reduction of military spending and a working solution for immigration. Not to speak of breaking up big media, a real reform of the educational system, etc. …

Overall America is still entrenched in it’s ignorant ways: it’s voters as much as it’s politicians. It doesn’t matter if the president will be Hillary, Obama, Romney or Huckabee - the military industrial complex will grind on without mercy. American troops will still be in Iraq in 2010, Americans will continue to guzzle oil in huge amount and the decline of the country will take up even more speed.

A new President will just change the face of Americanism - and maybe a Democrat will do some ’stuff’ to soften the social and economic pressure on Americans, but the system itself will be  untouched. And most of the draconian laws and limited civil liberties will stay in place.