Congrats to the President

This, in a nutshell, explains why the Democrats are doomed. A significant minority of US citizens are living in a faith-based bubble, like Bush.

If any evidence arises violating their world view, then they ignore it. If someone tries to draw it to their attention, they denounce the person presenting the evidence as a liar. They have absolute faith that their country and its leaders are the good guys, therefore anyone who suggests otherwise must, obviously, be lying and therefore is morally dubious.

How do you escape that logical loop?

The Republicans have got this sussed - they know that all they have to do is justify their actions, however outrageous, by wrapping it in patriotism or religion, and the blinkers attached to their followers will automatically denouce any opposition. Since they figured this out, they've almost totally locked down the red states.

This huge disparity showed up nicely in the polling of Bush supporters:

47% believe Iraq had WMD; 25% believe he had a major programme.
17% think the Duelfer report concluded Iraq had WMD; 38% a programme.

So, many saw the report but disbelieve it (presumably they have some better evidence - maybe they should have handed it over to the investigators). And many seem to have either been misled or mislead themselves over what it said.

75% of Bush supporters believe that Iraq was providing "substantial†support to Al Qaeda, and 20% believe that Iraq was directly involved in September 11th. And 63% believe that clear evidence of a link has been found! Where did they get that from? Presumably from Cheney's endless repetition of it - it must be true, or he wouldn't have said it, eh? And the media rarely pressured him on this assertion - they don't seem to have figured out how to counter politicians who lie so baldfacedly, and the Republicans have spotted this - the bigger the lie, the harder it is to call. The 9/11 commission asked him to present any evidence he had for these assertions, but he didn't provide any.

All these "misperceptions" even mount for the President's policies. Of Bush supporters:

69% think he supports the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
72% think he supports the land mine treaty
51% think he supports the Kyoto protocol
53% think he supports the International Criminal Court

He doesn't support any of those of course, but a majority of Bush supporters favoured each of them.

 

You might find this read interesting:

http://www.gregpalast.com/detail.cfm?artid=389&row=0

Oh, and they released the "rest" of OBL's tape today. CNN's original "transcript" showed something like 600 words, when the transcript from al-jazeera showed something like 2,300 words. Damned liberal media.

-m.

 

All this gloom and doom for the future of America is a natural reaction to not having a particular candidtate that one feels aligns with their beliefs. Based on the results of election, the Dems platform was not aligned with the core values of the average American. We know that evironmental issues are important, but obviously that wasn't a paramount concern with the voters. Unfortunately, the environment, in order of precendence always comes out short. Will there be a draft? I don't really think so, but there will be the expense of increasing the end strength of the military from it's "peacetime" level to a more ramped up reactionary force. The military, at it's current strength, cannot maintain a sustained two-theater war, not without substantial growth. So we either increase the end-strength or become a force that can only support one major conflict at a time...which in my view, makes us more vulnerable.

 

This summarizes my feelings about Bush in a nutshell... His way is the only way. His culture is the only culture. His religion is the only religion. His moral beleiefs are the only moral beliefs. It a very simple, narrow-minded way of viewing the world.

 

Too bad that the "younger" voters feel that way. I can think of few things that are as important as getting out to vote, regardless of the line. There's alot more to election day, than voting for the President. Local and state ballots are cast at the same time, and these are always directly influenced by the majority vote. GTA will still be waiting at the house to play, once the civic duty is completed. Election day is once every two years.

While I am not in that 18 to 29 age group, I'm still plenty impatient. Here, we have early voting. I chose to go in during the middle of the day, second day after the early voting period started. I was in and out in less than 30 minutes.

 

I think Danny's right - demographics are on the left's side to some extent. Even though individuals tend to become more right-wing as they get older, the next generation seems unlikely to ever have a problem with gay rights - the pensioners that are still disgusted by the 1960s will die soon. And I'm not convinced that being anti-abortion will be a vote winner for many more years either, especially if Roe v Wade is overturned - I suspect many women don't really believe that abortion will be illegal in a couple of years; it will stir them into opposition.

However, I see the militaristic and low tax mentality holding for some time. Unless Bush pushes it just a bit too far. A draft would awaken a lot of folks, and if Bush keeps increasing the massive inequities of US society, the poor have got to fight back eventually. Haven't they?

It might help if the Democrats spoke up for the poor a bit more. The first real, moving speech I heard in the campaign about their plight was Edwards' concession speech.

 

Sure I am, you'll just have to do 2 very long legs of the triangle rather than one. You have a Prius, it will probably take the same amount of gas as your old car going the more direct route. OK, maybe not. Let me know if you change your mind

Earlier you said it would take some time to implement your plan. Are you still expecting to be in VA the 2nd weekend in June 2005? I'll buy you lunch in Ashburn.

 

Since it's $551 per person per application for residency (then later a thousand per person, then proof of 6 months of finances to cover living expenses when you actually cross over) - we're not going to put our application until January 2005. Expected wait time on that is about 1-1.5 years, then we can actually move over there - of course, then it takes a full 3 years of living in Canada before you are considered a full citizen, as well.

So uh, short answer, yeah, I'll still be here then barring any unforseen circumstances!

-m.

 

Actually, I have to apologize, I paraphrased an individual's statement when he was interviewed by NBC yesterday on what the Democrats have to do to get into those "red" areas. He stated that the Dems needed to get more in touch with "mainstream America" not the average American. I'm sorry that I can't remember his name, but he was someone that was up in the Democrat organization...I think he was the head of the Dem party awhile back. Apparently, Mr. Kerry was warned by Pres. Clinton to promote his stance on being against gay marriages ... this individual felt he lost a lot of votes because of his not promoting that and going with the more "traditional values" of "mainstream Americans".

I agree that we don't have the right to force democracy on a country that isn't ready to handle it or want it. If that was the case, the whole world would be a democracy. Like I said, I definitely don't agree with everything this president has done or said.

 

I voted, went to work & then went home to play the new Grand Theft Auto!
We're not all lazy slobs!

 

Danny for President!

 

lol

"Vote Danny and receive a free Prius"

 

Case in point. A co-worker (who is upper income and intelligent) told me she would probably vote for Kerry, but she wouldn't mind if Bush won. I asked why and listed a couple of things I see as major problems with Bush. "I like (rubs thumb and 1st two fingers together)*".

* money

I'll probably piss some people off with this single word, send in the flames: Taliban

That position has been the core of our foreign policy for a long time. It is now increasingly being turned inward.

 

I find it interesting that the Red States are the ones afraid of gays. Yet the largest gay populations are in SF and NYC, two of the Bluest states you'll find.

They also voted on fear and terrorism, yet the 2 attacks occured in 2 very Blue areas. Yes, the Pentagon is technically in VA, but the Northern VA area neighboring DC is quite Blue.

NYC, LA, Chicago and DC are probably the 4 most likely terrorist targets, given their respective size and symbolic value. Yet all 4 cities voted overwhelmingly for Democrats. I guess those stupid city slickers all have a death wish.

Finally, a word on tax-and-spend liberalism. Personally, I wouldn't mind if the Federal government abolished all taxes tomorrow, and we shifted to a state-focused tax/government system. Red states would be in for a rude awakening: a vast majority of Red states receive FAR more money in Federal aid than they pay in Federal taxes. Aside from FL and TX, many Red states would literally starve to death without the cash cows of CA, IL, NY and New England feeding them tax dollars. Welfare state indeed.