Ether Features - 22 avid dedication to the political process of US politics held by these people.

All interviewees concurred that living abroad does not subtract any of the importance they place in this years election. No way, I didnt leave that at home with my toothbrush, says Katie. Stanley and Patricks thoughts on the elections are predictably far between. Patrick is pragmatic. It has challenged fundamental ideas we have about the role of money in US politics. It has challenged fundamental ideas we have about the role of gender in US politics. It has challenged fundamental ideas we have about the role of race in US politics. All of that, on balance, has been a very good thing. What we have been watching in the electoral campaign is the sharp contest between the McCain-Palin and Obama-Biden tickets to win voter confidence in their own change and leadership credentials. I probably dont need to tell you which has my confidence. Stanley focused on the poignancy of Sarah Palins appointment when expressing his final thoughts. I was in the states when Sarah Palin was nominated and there was a lot of excitement. I saw people watching it on CNN... I

Ether Features - 23 mean, it changed things greatly. Nevertheless, I think the American people will see through and understand why John McCain actually chose her and what kind of person that makes him. I very much liked the argument by John McQueen at the debate - why didnt McCain choose another of his very experienced female senators rather than this eight-ball with no experience. I would like to believe that it will be a win by the Democrats by at least 400 votes. As I was leaving the debate I noticed a poster by the exit on which children had written a few things they had to say about the election. A comment that seemed to poke me in the eye was, God please let it be Obama. Well, whether he becomes president or not, it seems he has had just as many believers abroad working to place him in such a position as he does at home.

was not to be met. With a well articulated silvertongue he was coerced into weaving his arguments around constant interjections from a fervent crowd and tolerating cheers for his robust opponent. I began to realise, that what these two international organisations were successful in doing was importing American politics overseas - lunacy and all. This is the most important and passion-infused election in modern US history. The intensity in this room tonight is electric! said Stanley Hale, the press officer for Democrats Abroad. This renders these organisations to be more important than ever. More than six million Americans live abroad - a number larger than the population of 24 states, points out Patrick. In turn, this means a significant amount of voting power is contributed in the election process by these people and the organisations which facilitate them. It is so significant, that what we have seen for the first time in an election is Democrats Abroad becoming, unofficially, the 51st state in a primary election. Stanley elaborates, Normally, you would have Americans abroad voting under the states name from where they came, but in this election Democrats Abroad had 11 votes represented by 22 delegates at the Democrats convention. For the primary we had approximately 23,000 members vote. Patrick Egan comments on how these elections have affected Republicans abroad membership numbers. Theres always more interest in an election year and this has been one of the longest and most exciting campaign years in history. It has had a very positive effect on our membership numbers and has also generated a lot of interest from our Austrian friends. Additional to Patricks volunteer work for Republicans Abroad he also works at a non-profit organisation. How did he get involved with the organisation? I joined Republicans Abroad in the late winter of 2008. Ive lived in Europe for the better part of 15 years and am an avid observer

of European politics, particularly the post-communist political transition of central and Eastern Europe. I am also very interested in the politics at home in the US and was relatively a late convert to conservative politics. When I found that Republicans Abroad needed people to help in these countries I immediately signed up! The obvious function of these organisations is to rally Americans living abroad to register and vote, which is a well oiled function of theirs indeed. They make it easy to get your vote organised, stay informed and they also act as a reminder of the importance the decisions being made at home, says Katie, a student and member of Democrats abroad. Patrick goes on to speak of the extended roles of these organisations and how they actively participate in the political process. Such organisations represent and work to protect the interests of overseas Americans on a wide range of issues. Membership in Republicans Abroad provides a unique opportunity for Americans living overseas to communicate their concerns to Republican leaders in Washington. In the past, we have fought for issues of concern to Americans abroad like repatriation issues, strong support of Section 911 foreign earned income exemption, anti-terrorism legislation, fair trade policies and the inclusion of the expatriate population in the United States Census. We also hold many debates, forums and roundtable discussions - peopleto-people events. An interesting thing to also note is that unlike Democrats Abroad, Republicans Abroad is not an official part of the Republican Party in the US. Republicans Abroad is not formally part of the Republican Party in the United States. The organization is a distinct entity, so the links to and correspondence with the party is not official. However, many of us, me included, have many friends and informal contacts with the GOP. Therefore, this means that it is solely built on a collective belief and zeal for Republican principles and politics. Once again, this exemplifies the

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