Obama gets China’s youth vote

Chris — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 16:23:54 GMT

This election was not only profound for America, but, for the world. Barack represents fresh new leadership that is global and relative for a "CHANGING WORLD".

China, keep believing your day will come too!

Obama gets China’s youth vote

Will - Dallas, Tx — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 16:48:01 GMT

Thanks for insight into what the Chinese are thining and saying. We do have the best system in the world and the world know it. I believe the Chinese population would love to be able to vote for their elected officials..........especially young educated people. Thanks again.

Obama gets China’s youth vote

Lori H — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 16:56:20 GMT

Great article. I want to hear more comments or opinions from other countries about this historic 2008 presidential election. I will never forget this election for as long as I live.

Obama gets China’s youth vote

dom luu, Orange County, CA — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 17:04:31 GMT

The world is already a better place :o) From kids in American classrooms to citizens in non-friendly countries, the overwhelming heart is hope and love! May GOD bless America, Earth & 44...

Obama gets China’s youth vote

John Steesle — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 17:10:34 GMT

Congratulations to Mr. Obama on his victory last night. His charisma and overall attitude towards the American people as well as the human race abroad is unmatched; he will do wonders in his term.

Obama gets China’s youth vote

Deryl, Atlanta, Ga — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 17:25:18 GMT

The very last quote in this article says it all:

"And I hope one day I can vote in China. If I’m still alive."

Obama gets China’s youth vote

John C, Schwenksville, PA — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 17:32:05 GMT

It is good to see Chinese are interested in election politics. They are a quickly growing world power, and their people need more involvement with the goverment's decisions so it will become more moderate. My three children study Chinese language, and we look forward to visiting and perhaps their going to school in exchange programs.

Obama gets China’s youth vote

Kathy in Minnesota — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 17:48:05 GMT

Everyone will be looking for the change and the older Chinese had it exactly right - lots is said in campaigns but when it comes right down to it the President does not have as much power as the campaign says they do. It will be interesting to see if Democrats do anything constructive with the power they now have or if they will squander it and try to rub Republican's noses in it and make enemies. I hope for true working across the isles and not a we are in POWER attitude - remember Newt? It did not last long and there was dissention again when there was no party unity. We all need to remember that Barack Obama is NOT just a black man - he is a MIXED race American who has a white mother and a black father and reaped the rewards of an IVY league education and the adulation of the blacks in this election. His best card now would be to play on this mixed race, bring people together and not be listed as just a BLACK president BUT the FIRST MIXED RACE president of the United States of America.

Obama gets China’s youth vote

Norm White, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 17:52:35 GMT

Obama will think about what is fair trade. China should be buying goods like we buy from them. Everyone can come out the winner here. Hoarding capital breaks the system.

Obama gets China’s youth vote

Cindy, Washington, DC — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 18:29:02 GMT

I hope I, too, will be able to see the vote in China in my lifetime. What a thoughtful and relevant article.

Obama gets China’s youth vote

John Burchill, Newport, OR — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 18:36:01 GMT

If I can believe what I'm reading about what the world is saying, I think this election can promote democracy around the world more than eight years of bush's wars

Obama gets China’s youth vote

Blake H — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 20:21:17 GMT

In this article under the section labled "First ‘vote’ for many Chinese" it says "It was the first time any of them had cast a vote – real or imaginary."

These statements were obviously included to reinforce the common misconception among Americans that the Chinese people don't have elections. And I see from the comments that many people in the US are ignorant about the election process in China.

Despite what ingorant Americans believe, China is technically a representative democracy. For many years, only members of the Communist Party (or its subservient parties) could run for election, but these restrictions have been lifted. Now, anyone that gets the required number of signitures on a petition can run for election. If fact, there are very high ranking members in the PRC's goverment that don't belong to any political party.

The article finishes off with "I turned to my Chinese colleague, Gu Bo, and asked, 'Would you vote if you could?'"

"'Yeah, I would vote,' she said without hesitation. 'And I hope one day I can vote in China. If I’m still alive.'"

Either the author's colleague is completely ignorant about her own country's election process, or this whole exchange is a complete fabrication. Either way, it is just plain wrong!

The ultimate goal of this article is to leave American readers with the impression that China doesn't hold elections...which is of course an outright lie. I know many Americans don't want to believe it, but China is a representative democracy with direct elections for local officials as well as for the local People's Congresses. Higher level officials are indirectly elected by the local congresses in a process at least as fair as our electoral college.

In the end, this article is nothing more than a piece of anti-Chinese propaganda designed to perpetuate the myth that China doesn't have elections.

Obama gets China’s youth vote

Sam, Boulder, CO — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 20:40:13 GMT

Thi is really impressive considering that when I taught in China only two years ago we weren't even allowed to use the word "democracy" in class. Keep dreaming of a better day, kiddos.

Obama gets China’s youth vote

Blake H, Chicago, IL — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 20:48:45 GMT

Will, you said "I believe the Chinese population would love to be able to vote for their elected officials..........especially young educated people."

Guess what? The Chinese population DOES get to elect their officials, and those running for office no longer have to be from the Communist Party, or any party at all. There are even high-ranking members of the PRC's government that are not members of ANY political party. Anyone that gets the required number of signatures on a petition can run for office.

Techincally, China is a representative democracy. I know this doesn't jive with what the American people have been told to believe, but that's only because Americans are constantly fed anti-Chinese propaganda...like this article. Americans need to stop being sheepish, and stop mindlessly believing everything the US media says.

Obama gets China’s youth vote

still Doll — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 21:10:42 GMT

Hay, Blake, you sound like you are somehow expert of chinese politics. If you had ever been in China, you would know few ppl voted in their whole lives. "technically?" so funny.

Obama gets China’s youth vote

Blake H, Chicago, IL — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 21:39:01 GMT

Cindy, you said "I hope I, too, will be able to see the vote in China in my lifetime. What a thoughtful and relevant article."

Your wish has been granted. China already has direct elections for local leaders and local People's Congresses. Higher officials are indirectly elected in a process that is at least as fair as our electoral college.

China first started holding elections in 1987 with the passing of the "Organic Law on Village Elections." However, this didn't make local elections mandatory, so only about 1/3 of the local goverments were holding elections by 1998. In response, the PRC passed a revised "Organic Law" making local elections mandatory. This revision also removed the role of nominating candidates from the Communist Party, and gave it directly to the electorate in the form of signature petitions. Anyone that gets the required number of signatures on a petition can run for office, and some very high-ranking officials in the PRC's government don't belong to ANY political party.

Since 1998, elections have expanded to include election of local People's Congresses, which in turn elect the next highest level of Congresses. This process is repeated at each level until the National People's Congress. Technically, this makes the PRC a representative democracy.

Executives like the President are elected by the NPC. Ultimately, this process conforms much closer to the "one person, one vote" definition of a democracy than our electoral college.

Obama gets China’s youth vote

Justin, Texas — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 22:38:07 GMT

Blake H from Chicago, please provide all of us ignorant Americans with the reference or reading material that documents China's representative democracy. I'd be thrilled to share this information with all of my fellow ignorant friends.

Obama gets China’s youth vote

Ron, San Diego, CA — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 22:40:35 GMT

I hope Obama won't enforce too many protectionist rules on China's exports. US really need to depend on products from China. If chinese goods are not imported, everything will be very expensive.

Obama gets China’s youth vote

Justin, Texas — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 23:07:57 GMT

This ignorant American would love to learn all about China's representative democracy. Please provide any and all reference material you might have so that I may share it with my fellow ignorant friends.

Obama gets China’s youth vote

Maersk, Boston, MA — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:22:00 GMT

Personally I do not care about the U.S. style of democracy. Just consider this: A fool that believes in supernatural could steal the presidency once, start two wars that killed so many innocent people, including many U.S. soldiers, double the national deficit, and still got elected for a second term. What good is this kind of democracy? It is either the voters were fools or they were fooled by the special interest groups into voting for such a fool. Hopefully, the new president is not as foolish as the one he is replacing.

Obama gets China’s youth vote

Kevin, Shanghai, China — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:39:47 GMT

Obviously the American people are proud of their election system. And obviously they know little about election system here in China.That is dangerous, I think.

Obama gets China’s youth vote

El X. — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 01:14:54 GMT

They know nothing about how Obama's victory and his future administration will impact America and the world at large. This is rather a foolish entertaining event which means nothing to China's present political and social situations

Obama gets China’s youth vote

Huang — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 04:05:21 GMT

Perhaps Mr. Blake H from Chicago should ask Chinese people whether they can vote or not, instead of evoking technicalities and bashing the media. There is no such thing as being "technically" able to vote. You either can vote, or you can't.

Obama gets China’s youth vote

cc — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 04:17:38 GMT

Blake H (Sent Wednesday, November 05, 2008 3:21 PM)

This Blake H guy is very funny, i am a chinese too, and i think he is closing his eyes and speaking bullshit. Can you believe what he said is true? We chinese people don't believe, maybe the offical hope we believe...

Obama gets China’s youth vote

leslie — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 05:33:26 GMT

Blake, I'm so interested in what you are saying! I used to live in China, a long time ago, and I totally believe what you are saying about the propaganda we've been fed. My friends and colleagues were shocked to learn about some of the aspects of daily life that I was witnessing they had never been aware of, such as people having the right to change jobs as far back as 1983 or probably before that. Can you tell me the actual document in Chinese law that provides for elections of any sort? My husband is from the PRC and even HE doesn't agree with what you wrote. Please educate us. THanks so much

Obama gets China’s youth vote

Allen W, Sydney — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 06:15:25 GMT

It's better not to have too much expectation about our new president. the presidentship is actually much more a sucess and symbol to Mr Obama himself and his family, and the Democrats, rather than the american people, even black people.