Well as an outsider I must admit the differing positions from the two candidates are a bit worrying. (From an Australian point of view).
Over the last 90 odd years every time the US has asked Australia for assistance on foreign wars e.g. Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea etc), Australia has always been there standing shoulder to shoulder with the US, often the first and sometimes the only country to fight alongside the US (Vietrnam is a case in point, where only last year I was in New York and someone was really surprised that Australia had lost a lot of lives fighting in Vietnam as they thought only the US fought there)). Australia and the US are very tightly linked - just look at the RIMPAC USN/USMC and Australia Defence execerise happening right now off Pearl Harbour. The US is now Australia;s biggest partner.
Trade, Pharmaceuticals, Defence - just about everything you can think, Australia is very US Centric. But then I look at what both US Candidates stand on this special relationship. For instance we now have a whole USMC Amphib Readiness group based in Australia, US Airforce regulary using our Defence Training grounds. All our Armoured vehicles - MiA1 come from the US. Our Airforce fly FA18 Hornets and Super Hornets etc
Now of course I may be ill-informed, but from where I sit the rhetoric tends to suggest that the Trump (and now yesterday the Republican Party stands for US isolationistism i.e. retreating back to only focus on US internal issues.
On the other hand I see Clinton talking about Pacific engagement, more focus on Womens and LGBT issues, better trade and so on.
Then we hear every day on TV in Australia the Trump announcements about Immigrants, Mexicans, Border fence etc and last night I even listed to a speech from the National Rifle Association speaker at the Republican convention talking about more citizens should be armed to better protect the streets in the US, whereas there was a Police Chief who stated that when a policeman confronts someone that has been stopped on a DUI or traffic stop and are confronted with an openly displayed weapon (even if it is legally held, they need to shoot first and ask questions later). Here in OZ every police officer whether State or Federal is armed, but no citizen has the right to openly carry arms, so they know that anyone the police see with a weapon (except in the prairie (what we call the bush on farms etc) is very likely to be a felon.
No the funny thing, is that here in Australia I always vote what would be the Republican Party (here is National Liberal Coalition), yet from where I stand (and admittedly its just my view from what I hear on Television and online), it appears hat the Democrats are a more socially inclusive, more internationally focussed and more supportive of all people across the US.
Obviously I don't have the ability to vote in the US, but as a woman I would be placing my vote with the Democrats as I believe that from what I see their policies are more likely to keep me safe (I do travel to the US every few years).
But basically the Democrats Left /Union centric views would normally be an anathema to my social positiionng.
What worries me most I think is that the GOP used to stand for all US Citizens with more centrist views, yet Trump and some sections of the Tea Party have pulled the GOP party sharply to the right, whereas Clinton has moved to the centre effectively occupying the Centre of US Politics.
Funnily enough I read an article somewhere just recently that the Trump candidature is actually a big plot by the Clintons (remember Trump used to be best buddies with the Clintons) to stand and effectively lose and in the process destroy the Republican party. Its almost certainly rubbish, but my concern is that if he falls to get elected, this is exactly what may happen to the GOP.
Just an Australian's observations.
Judith
