So. I was thinking again (don't you hate that?). If we elect a woman president, what effect do you think it would have on the way the rest of the world views us? Do you think it would inhibit relations? Do you think it would enhance them? Do you think it would have no effect at all?

Just curious...

i think for some foreign relations it would imporve our status but those countries that see women as less than equal it would inhibit kwim?

Honestly I don't think it will help our country with certain nations. I think that we would be having issues communicating with the countries that keep their female race on a lower level than their male race. I don't think there would be anything wrong with a female Vice-president, but not a president. It's not because I don't think a female can do it because I absolutely think anyone can do it, I just don't know that our country would be respected as a superpower with a woman as our top dog.

Honestly I don't think it will help our country with certain nations. I think that we would be having issues communicating with the countries that keep their female race on a lower level than their male race. I don't think there would be anything wrong with a female Vice-president, but not a president. It's not because I don't think a female can do it because I absolutely think anyone can do it, I just don't know that our country would be respected as a superpower with a woman as our top dog.

i agree with that also

I don't think it would inhibit us at all other nations have had female leaders & it did not cause the world to view them poorly. Look at England for example They had a female prime minister & she did very very well. ( I love Margret Thatcher!)

I had (a debate we had a long while back) looked up the countries that have/had female rulers/ presidents/ PM's but I am NAKing & don't feel like googling it again. A lot more women have been/are in charge then Americans seem to know.

I don't think it would inhibit us at all other nations have had female leaders & it did not cause the world to view them poorly. Look at England for example They had a female prime minister & she did very very well. ( I love Margret Thatcher!)

I had (a debate we had a long while back) looked up the countries that have/had female rulers/ presidents/ PM's but I am NAKing & don't feel like googling it again. A lot more women have been/are in charge then Americans seem to know.

I agree. The first ever female president was in Sri Lanka, a country renowned for gender inequality. Neighbouring countries did not look upon them any differently, in fact India eventually followed suit by electing their first ever female PM this year. Of the 192 UN members, 18 have female leaders at this moment in time. Also, I find it interesting that the US has the same number of women members in their govt. as Iraq (3) :thinking

Another angle...

I also have to wonder if it wouldn't make us even MORE of a target for terrorism - if it's even possible to be more of a target than we already are - considering that the stereotypical terrorist views women as the weak and inferior sex. If our country suddenly had a weak, inferior president, it's interesting to consider how we'd be viewed.

Then again...nevermind (I'm bad) :giggle

Another angle...

I also have to wonder if it wouldn't make us even MORE of a target for terrorism - if it's even possible to be more of a target than we already are - considering that the stereotypical terrorist views women as the weak and inferior sex. If our country suddenly had a weak, inferior president, it's interesting to consider how we'd be viewed.

Then again...nevermind (I'm bad) :giggle

i wanted to say that too but i didn't know how it'd be received

Margaret Thatcher has been the only other female leader (that I know of) of a world super power. I realize that Sri Lanka, India, The Phillipines, etc have all had female leaders, but the United States is a world super power - which seems to just tilt the table a little. It's not as if we're Sri Lanka here, kwim? It just sort of sheds a different light on it.

I am still just wondering what everyone thinks. I don't have an answer - it's just something I was thinking about on the drive to the movies :lol

Margaret Thatcher has been the only other female leader (that I know of) of a world super power. I realize that Sri Lanka, India, The Phillipines, etc have all had female leaders, but the United States is a world super power - which seems to just tilt the table a little. It's not as if we're Sri Lanka here, kwim? It just sort of sheds a different light on it.

I am still just wondering what everyone thinks. I don't have an answer - it's just something I was thinking about on the drive to the movies :lol

A super power? It's thoughts like that, rather than the sex of your leader, that will lead other countries to think that the US is weak. The US has a strong tendancy to underestimate the power of other countries.

A super power? It's thoughts like that, rather than the sex of your leader, that will lead other countries to think that the US is weak. The US has a strong tendancy to underestimate the power of other countries.

we are classified as a super power along with Great Britian and Japan.

A super power? It's thoughts like that, rather than the sex of your leader, that will lead other countries to think that the US is weak. The US has a strong tendency to underestimate the power of other countries.

:tu America is not the richest country in the world & we don't have the biggest military. We have a fair (poor, fair, good, excellent scale) economy BUT we have a massive national debt. I love my country BUT we are not the super power we think we are. (general we)

We are technically classified as a super power, militarily. Some may disagree, but are one of the worlds super powers, regardless of the national debt.

I don't think it would inhibit us at all other nations have had female leaders & it did not cause the world to view them poorly. Look at England for example They had a female prime minister & she did very very well. ( I love Margret Thatcher!)

I had (a debate we had a long while back) looked up the countries that have/had female rulers/ presidents/ PM's but I am NAKing & don't feel like googling it again. A lot more women have been/are in charge then Americans seem to know.

ITA. I went to Dublin last year and on a tour the guide mentioned that there have been so many consecutive female prime ministers of Ireland that some of the younger children think only a female can be prime minister! I thought that was pretty cool.

we are classified as a super power along with Great Britian and Japan.

Classified by whom?

According to the political academics of the US, Russia, China and India are rivalling the US for 'superpower' status. None of which regard the US in high esteem.

My original point was that having a female leader should not affect the world's view of the US, especially if other countries with cultures that exploit gender differences have selected female leaders themselves.

Classified by whom?

According to the political academics of the US, Russia, China and India are rivalling the US for 'superpower' status. None of which regard the US in high esteem.

My original point was that having a female leader should not affect the world's view of the US, especially if other countries with cultures that exploit gender differences have selected female leaders themselves.

well fine let me rephrase...that's what i've always been taught from day one. i'm not saying we are the best country in the world but in comparison to sri lanka, the phillipines, and other countries we are.

well fine let me rephrase...that's what i've always been taught from day one. i'm not saying we are the best country in the world but in comparison to sri lanka, the phillipines, and other countries we are.

Being half Sri-Lankan, I'd have to disagree with that remark.

Of course you have been taught that, you went to a US school. As a Brit, I was taught that Britain was extremely important. My relatives in Sri Lanka think that their country is equally important, as they have been taught the same in their schools.

superpower is a state with a leading position in the international system and the ability to influence events and project power on a worldwide scale; it is considered a higher level of power than a great power.

I pulled this definition of superpower from dictionary, encyclopedia.com

It has no mention of money, or military, or anything of that nature. It simply states that it is a state that has the ability to influence other states worldwide.

That being said.... countries like Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the like WILL NOT respect a woman president in our country... N.Korea and the countries that we are on alert regarding our national security and possibility of war are countries that won't respect a woman with the ultimate power in our country.

The President doesn't do everything, but the President represents what our country looks like on an international level. We have to be VERY careful with who we appoint to represent what America should look like!

amen steph

From dictionary.com
su·per·pow·er /ˈsupərˌpaʊər/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[soo-per-pou-er] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun
1. an extremely powerful nation, esp. one capable of influencing international events and the acts and policies of less powerful nations.
2. power greater in scope or magnitude than that which is considered natural or has previously existed.
3. power, esp. mechanical or electric power, on an extremely large scale secured by the linking together of a number of separate power systems, with a view to more efficient and economical generation and distribution.


I wasn't just being a pompous American when I said that - it's just a fact that I've grown up knowing :dunno

From dictionary.com


I wasn't just being a pompous American when I said that - it's just a fact that I've grown up knowing :dunno

exactly same here.

I pulled this definition of superpower from dictionary, encyclopedia.com

It has no mention of money, or military, or anything of that nature. It simply states that it is a state that has the ability to influence other states worldwide.

That being said.... countries like Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the like WILL NOT respect a woman president in our country... N.Korea and the countries that we are on alert regarding our national security and possibility of war are countries that won't respect a woman with the ultimate power in our country.

The President doesn't do everything, but the President represents what our country looks like on an international level. We have to be VERY careful with who we appoint to represent what America should look like!

How do you know this? As stated earlier, PM Maggie Thatcher was and is very respected by all accounts.

As for being careful about how America is viewed, G.Bush is known to be hated worldwide and yet he was re-elected.

How do you know this? As stated earlier, PM Maggie Thatcher was and is very respected by all accounts.

As for being careful about how America is viewed, G.Bush is known to be hated worldwide and yet he was re-elected.


Yes he is hated worldwide, but so was Clinton (he made Americans look like sexual FREAKS who had no regard for common morals and truth). But I don't see America being overrun right now. Other countries can hate another countries leader, but they won't go and overrun them when they fear them because of their superpower status!

Yes he is hated worldwide, but so was Clinton (he made Americans look like sexual FREAKS who had no regard for common morals and truth). But I don't see America being overrun right now. Other countries can hate another countries leader, but they won't go and overrun them when they fear them because of their superpower status!

So if your leader is going to be hated regardless, why would having a woman leader make a difference?

Of course you have been taught that, you went to a US school. As a Brit, I was taught that Britain was extremely important. My relatives in Sri Lanka think that their country is equally important, as they have been taught the same in their schools.

It helps having a husband who is a history major :D

In 1918, the US abandoned its isolationism national policies and entered WWI, thus rescuing the triple-entente, which was Great Britian, France, and Russia from German/Austrian expansionism. As a result there was the Washington conference of 1921, where Great Britain relinquished its world hold on the dominant naval power to the US - the US thus became the predominant superpower of the world, both militarily and financially.

Did you learn something different in your history class?

Granted, alot has happened since 1921, and yes we currently hold the highest national debt in our nations history - but realistically, not a whole lot has changed.

So if your leader is going to be hated regardless, why would having a woman leader make a difference?

He can be hated, but he is respected. At least other leaders of countries who regard women as less than dogs will talk to our leader because he's a man. I would hate to know that relations with countries in the middle east that we are dealing with now would stop communicating with our president because she is a woman. That would do nothing to aid in the efforts to create a general tolerance in our world if not peace.

Yes he is hated worldwide, but so was Clinton (he made Americans look like sexual FREAKS who had no regard for common morals and truth). But I don't see America being overrun right now. Other countries can hate another countries leader, but they won't go and overrun them when they fear them because of their superpower status!

It was the opposite actually. Friends I have that are french & friends I have that are from the Netherlands were laughing at our leaders because they felt our country was being prudish to drag the president's sexual exploits into the public eye. (In countries where having a mistress is a non issue Japan, France, Italy etc) So it is the exact opposite they were not laughing at us because we are sex freaks in their eyes. They were laughing at us because they find our society to be prudish. Europe is WAY more laid back in that regards then we are.

Sorry the debate went OT.

Sorry the debate went OT.

:dunno

No apologies necessary. I figured it would :giggle I like to see the different paths debates take -as long as we don't wind up :deadhorse

He can be hated, but he is respected. At least other leaders of countries who regard women as less than dogs will talk to our leader because he's a man. I would hate to know that relations with countries in the middle east that we are dealing with now would stop communicating with our president because she is a woman. That would do nothing to aid in the efforts to create a general tolerance in our world if not peace.

If that is the case then why did the Middle East have no problems working with Margret Thatcher when she was PM? The Middle East has had equality problems for 100's of years (if not 1,000's) so why is it that she was able to do her job not only effectively BUT extremely well? There were several middle east crisis's during the 80's.

As far a women and politics, we are far behind. Someone said that Great Britain was a super power, they have also had a female prime minister.

This was originally posted a really long time ago, but I love what she said!

I think that the argument that other countries won't respect a woman president is a bit out there. The US is a bit behind the times with regards to woman in politics. It was one of the last developed countries to give women the vote and many countries have had a woman head of state and all was well.
Current women heads of state and government
Mary McAleese, President of Ireland (1997- )
Vaira Vike-Freiberga, President of Latvia (1999- )
Helen Clark, Prime Minister of New Zealand (1999- )
Tarja K. Halonen, President of Finland (2000- )
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, President of the Philippines (2001- )
Khaleda Zia, Prime Minister of Bangladesh (1991-1996, 2001- )
Luisa Diogo, Prime Minister of Mozambique (2004- )
Maria do Carmo Silveira, Prime Minister of Sao Tome and Principe (2005- )
Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany (2005- )
Michelle Bachelet, President of Chile (2006- )
Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, President of Liberia (2006- )
Portia Simpson-Miller, Prime Minister of Jamaica (2006- )

Previous women heads of state or government

Elisabeth Domitien, Prime Minister of Central African Empire (1975-1976)
Agathe Uwilingiyimana, Prime Minister of Rwanda (1993)
Silvie Kinigi, Interim President of Burundi (1993-1994)
Ruth Perry, Chairman of State Council, Liberia (1996-1997)
Madior Boye, Prime Minister of Senegal (2001-2002)
Maria das Neves, Prime Minister of Sao Tome & Principe (2002-2004)

Isabel Peron, President of Argentina (1974-1976)
Lucinda da Costa Gomez-Mattheeuws, Prime Minister of Netherlands Antilles (1977)
Lidia Gueilier, Caretaker President of Bolivia (1979-1980)
Eugenia Charles, Prime Minister of Dominica (1980-1995)
Maria Liberia Peters, Prime Minister of the Netherlands Antilles (1984-1986, 1988-1994)
Ertha Pascal-Trullot, Acting President of Haiti (1990-1991)
Violeta de Chamorro, President of Nicaragua (1990-1996)
Kim Campbell, Prime Minister of Canada (1993)
Claudette Werleigh, Prime Minister of Haiti (1995-1996)
Rosalia Arteaga, Caretaker President of Ecuador (1997)
Pamela Gordon, Premier of Bermuda (1997-1998)
Janet Jagan, President of Guyana (1997-1999)
Suzanne Romer, Prime Minister of Netherlands Antilles (1993, 1998-1999)
Jennifer Smith, Premier of Bermuda (1998-2003)
Beatriz Merino, Prime Minister of Peru (2003)

Sirimavo Bandaranaike, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka (1960-1965, 1970-1977, 1994-2000)
Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister of India (1966-77, 1980-1984)
Golda Meir, Prime Minister of Israel (1969-1974)
Corazon Aquino, President of Philippines (1986-1992)
Benazir Bhutto, Prime Minister of Pakistan (1988-1990, 1993-1996)
Khaleda Zia, Prime Minister of Bangladesh (1991-1996, 2001-)
Tansu Ciller, Prime Minister of Turkey (1993-1996)
Chandrika Kumaratunga, President of Sri Lanka (1994-2005)
Sheikh Hasina Wajed, Prime Minister of Bangladesh (1996-2001)
Jenny Shipley, Prime Minister of New Zealand (1997-1999)
Nyam-Osoriyn Tuyaa, Interim Prime Minister of Mongolia (1999)
Megawati Sukarnoputri, President of Indonesia (2001-2004)
Chang Sang, Acting Prime Minister of South Korea (2002)

Maria de Lourdes Pintassilgo, Prime Minister of Portugal (1979-1980)
Margaret Thatcher, Prime Minister of Great Britain (1979-1990)
Vigdis Finnbogadottir, President of Iceland (1980-1996)
Gro Harlem Brundtland, Prime Minister of Norway (1981, 1986-1989, 1990-1996)
Maria Pedini-Angelini, Captain-Regent of San Marino (1981)
Milka Planinc, Prime Minister of Yugoslavia (1982-1986)
Agatha Barbara, President of Malta (1982-1987)
Gloriana Rannocchini, Captain-Regent of San Marino (1984, 1989-1990)
Kazimira Prunskiene, Prime Minister of Lithuania (1990-1991)
Sabine Bergmann-Pohl, State President of German Democratic Republic (1990)
Mary Robinson, President of Ireland (1990-1997)
Edda Ceccoli, Captain-Regent of San Marino (1991-1992)
Edith Cresson, Prime Minister of France (1991-1992)
Hanna Suchocka, Prime Minister of Poland (1992-1993)
Patricia Busigani, Captain-Regent of San Marino (1993)
Marita Petersen, Prime Minister of Faroe Islands (1993-1994)
Renata Indzhova, Interim Prime Minister of Bulgaria (1994-1995)
Biljana Plavsic, President of Republika Srpska (Bosnia-Hercegovina) (1996-1998)
Ruth Dreifuss, President of Switzerland (1998-1999)
Rosa Zafferani, Captain-Regent of San Marino (1999)
Irena Degutiene, Acting Prime Minister of Lithuania (1999)
Mireya Moscoso, President of Panama (1999-2003)
Maria Domenica Michelotti, Captain-Regent of San Marino (2000)
Natasa Micic, Acting President of Serbia (2002-2003)
Annelli Jaatteenmaaki, Prime Minister of Finland (2003)
Nino Burzhanadze, Acting President of Georgia (2003)
Yulia Timoshenko, Prime Minister of Ukraine (2005)

Go Senator Clinton! I think that having Obama and Clinton in a race would be phenomenal.

It was the opposite actually. Friends I have that are french & friends I have that are from the Netherlands were laughing at our leaders because they felt our country was being prudish to drag the president's sexual exploits into the public eye. (In countries where having a mistress is a non issue Japan, France, Italy etc) So it is the exact opposite they were not laughing at us because we are sex freaks in their eyes. They were laughing at us because they find our society to be prudish. Europe is WAY more laid back in that regards then we are.

Sorry the debate went OT.

I was going to post the same thing. They could care less who Clinton got a bj from and they were laughing at us for making such a big deal out of it.

Honestly I don't think it will help our country with certain nations. I think that we would be having issues communicating with the countries that keep their female race on a lower level than their male race. I don't think there would be anything wrong with a female Vice-president, but not a president. It's not because I don't think a female can do it because I absolutely think anyone can do it, I just don't know that our country would be respected as a superpower with a woman as our top dog.

They don't respect us now. LOL. How is having a female going to change that?

Another angle...

I also have to wonder if it wouldn't make us even MORE of a target for terrorism - if it's even possible to be more of a target than we already are - considering that the stereotypical terrorist views women as the weak and inferior sex. If our country suddenly had a weak, inferior president, it's interesting to consider how we'd be viewed.

Then again...nevermind (I'm bad) :giggle

We were attacked with a male president... More than once.

I pulled this definition of superpower from dictionary, encyclopedia.com

It has no mention of money, or military, or anything of that nature. It simply states that it is a state that has the ability to influence other states worldwide.

That being said.... countries like Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the like WILL NOT respect a woman president in our country... N.Korea and the countries that we are on alert regarding our national security and possibility of war are countries that won't respect a woman with the ultimate power in our country.

The President doesn't do everything, but the President represents what our country looks like on an international level. We have to be VERY careful with who we appoint to represent what America should look like!

Those countries already don't respect us, and terrorists and extremists from some of those countries have already attacked us more than once with a MAN as President. So, I don't see how that logic really applies. Bush was re-elected after he led the invasion of a country in the middle east that did nothing to us. That is a LOT more damaging to us than a woman would be.

I was going to post the same thing. They could care less who Clinton got a bj from and they were laughing at us for making such a big deal out of it.

I totally agree. Take a look at the International media from the time. Other countries thought we were silly. LOL.

I think, if anything, it will bring us more respect from other powerful countries in the world, the countries we need on our side to fight terrorism in the first place, and any country that would lose respect for us doesn't respect us as it is so what's the problem? What happened to all of the stuff Bush spouted for years about not negotiating with terrorists and how terrorism won't win because we won't let it change the way we live, we will never bow to the demands of terrorists, blah blah. If electing a female president is something that will piss them off, then why didn't the people who follow that line of reasoning already think of it? If the Republicans really believed that, then they would have female nominees too. What better signal that we are nothing like the terrorists than to have a female president right?

Wicked I think I love you!!!! Very well said!

Wicked I think I love you!!!! Very well said!

Haha, we agree a lot, don't we?

We were attacked with a male president... More than once.


Yes, yes we were. Given that the stereotypical terrorist scum views women as weak and inferior - I was just thinking that perhaps it would steel their resolve to attack...or not. Just looking for opinions :) I did say, after all, "as if we could possibly be more of a target" or something to that affect ;)

I'm waiting on Rod's input on this...he's got to have SOMETHING brewing in that dastardly analytical mind of his.

:ninja

:giggle

Yes, yes we were. Given that the stereotypical terrorist scum views women as weak and inferior - I was just thinking that perhaps it would steel their resolve to attack...or not. Just looking for opinions :) I did say, after all, "as if we could possibly be more of a target" or something to that affect ;)

Yeah, as if, right? Sad it's that way. LOL.

I meant to comment on the whole "superpower" thing too, but I forgot, so I will now. Haha. I was just gonna say, we rose to be a "superpower" because we were at the FRONT of issues like human rights and progressive thinking in the world. Now, we are actually losing our status as a world superpower, with Europe quickly taking over. They are much more progressive when it comes to issues like female leaders, gay rights, universal health care, public higher education, etc. I don't think that is a coincidence...

I'm waiting on Rod's input on this...he's got to have SOMETHING brewing in that dastardly analytical mind of his.

:ninja

:giggle

I've been quite busy today, so this is the first time I'm seeing this.

My opinion on the topic: Mankind abhors change, especially in the political arena. Our greatest worry shouldn't be terrorists or the world arena, but moreso our own backyard. Just as there is racism and biases, no demographic is safe, including women. If either Obama or Clinton are elected, I am expecting assassination attempts on them. Just as an old man can let slip racial slurs, man men still believe a woman's place is in the background, supporting their man. You have to remember that women's suffrage bouts weren't that long ago.

Here's an analogy to my logic: Have you ever heard a demeaning/rude joke about american indians? I have NEVER EVER heard one in my entire life. I have, however, heard jokes about EVERY other demographic in America, including women, rednecks, hispanics, blacks, Idaho, Iowa, etc.. It's actions like these that demean that demographic, even if on tiny levels, and people devalue their worth.

In the world stage, some cultures haven't evolved as ours has. In them, the woman is a supporting role, which is more inline with barbaric/neanderthal beliefs that women gather, men hunt. Placing a woman in charge of the US, however, will probably not affect us much as the world already views most of what we do as evil or unjust.

If you've been beaten by a bully your whole life, don't you just assume that everyone with his family name is a bully, too?

So. I was thinking again (don't you hate that?). If we elect a woman president, what effect do you think it would have on the way the rest of the world views us? Do you think it would inhibit relations? Do you think it would enhance them? Do you think it would have no effect at all?

Just curious...

I believe if we elected a woman president, in my opinion, the way it would reflect how the rest of the world viewed us would not be the fact that she was a woman, but what type of woman she was. Personally, Clinton for example (Hillary), would not be a good candidate to me for the first female president. I believe if she were elected the world would view us just in a poor light. If however a leader like Margaret Thatcher per say, since that's the example everyone keeps using, were elected as president of the United States and she would be viewed in a different light.

I think it may inhibit relationships with other countries, but what can ya' do?

I also think having a woman leader could enhance our relationships with some countries. It would show America in a different light than it may be viewed in.

:)

For those that said that middle eastern countries wont accept our president as a woman...What about the Queen of Jordon afterher husband died?

I think that we need a womans perspective on things..

If the right woman is elected....one who does not back down, who shows courage in the face of adversity, who does not allow what other countries think of women in power to sway her then we should not have problem with the way other countries view us.
I won't lie, I am sure that it will be a tough go to start...but I am sure that if whoever is President(woman or man) earns the respect of other leaders, dignitaries and such and can show that they are more than capable of doing the job then we won't be viewed as weak because of who we have in office.