Well, if Bush or Kerry had said that he wanted to get home all US troops from Germany because he no longer considers my country an ally, and that from now on German citizens had to apply for visas before entering the US, well, then I would definitely say this election is crucial for my life. Ramstein is a NATO airbase, even if the US withdraw, it is unlikely that it would be shut down. H-ll, Germanys economy had to face cuts in the military from 600,000 in 1990 to 250,000 of our soldiers - and another cut from 250,000 GI´s to currently 75,000. We will survive even when the last 75,000 US troops are gone. It is planned that 25,000 will remain here, which is a good symbolic and strategic presence. Nobody here blames the reducing of US troops on Bush; this is an issue long discussed because of a lack of need.
"Well, if Bush or Kerry had said that he wanted to get home all US troops from Germany because he no longer considers my country an ally, and that from now on German citizens had to apply for visas before entering the US, well, then I would definitely say this election is crucial for my life."
Don't hold your breath waiting for either candidate to say any of the above - it's an election year don't you know! And considering you don't know Kerry's intentions regarding the above (none of us do), shouldn't that make you a)the least bit curious to know and b)feel concerned that it may critically affect you if he is elected? How do you already know that this election isn't crucial to our US/Germany relationship when you have no idea what one of the candidates really stands for?