Servalpur

What's your stance on campaign finance reform?

Also, how do you feel about the revolving door between Washington and the private sector? Specifically the way certain representatives will work in Government for a few terms, vote and write bills that favor certain organizations, and then leave Washington to sit on the boards and lobby (at a very substantial pay increase) for the same companies they helped while in office. If you disapprove of the practice, what would you do to stop or reduce it?

Finally, why should we the voters trust you? We see every election that candidates trot out a list of promises, only to run dead center and accomplish very little, all the while pandering to population and preparing for the next election.

I'm not OP, but I did spend a couple months in Japan. Mostly in Tokyo though, so supposedly people are much less accepting of foreigners in the country. I found that sometimes (not always) I just have this bubble of free space around me in otherwise extremely crowded areas. Trains were the most apparent. Japanese women seemed less willing to talk unless you were in bars where foreigners routinely came (so they knew what to expect, or were coming for non Japanese people).

Kids would either shy away from you, or be really, really interested in you. As a 6'2 white guy, I sort of stood out, so that was probably to be expected. Older folks were extremely respectful, but also very, very distant. That's the best way I can describe the casual xenophobia of Japan.Very polite, but very, very distant. Unless you went to a bar, then you could count on the stares, and sometimes a few drunken assholes saying something.

I was with Japanese native friends though, so I can't say what it would have been like in social situations without them. They told me what to expect, how to act at first, and would smooth any opening talks. I found that once you got into a group and talked a bit (I know Japanese, but I've got a very distinct accent), people were much more willing to get closer.

Also, it really helps to learn Japanese. As a general rule, people are more willing to accept you if they feel you're trying to fit in, and this is doubly so in Japan. Even though I stuttered over my words sometimes, and had major trouble pronouncing some things, people were far more accepting of me than my friend who couldn't speak Japanese.