No sympathy

So at time of writing, it is 254 for Bush and 252 for Kerry, with everything resting on Ohio (although it seems to be leaning towards a victory for Bush).

Honestly, I'm struggling to figure this one out. Is the stereotype correct - are Americans just plain dumb? How badly does a president need to screw things up before you'll stop voting for him? Does he actually need to admit a passion for witchcraft, buggery, and touching little kiddies before you consider him unsuitable to hold the office of President? I fail to think of any way he could have had a more disastrous term of office. It has been far worse than anyone feared back in 2000.

The sad thing is - if people are voting out of fear of death from above, they are completely misguided. If you think Bush is going to keep you safer, think again. The whole bloody reason you have problems with terrorism is because of the jerks you let run your country, and the appalling foreign policies they are permitted to make on your behalf.

So I have no sympathy. If Bush gets another 4 years, I have no sympathy at all for anything that befalls the USA. You've had your democratic process (of sorts) and you've screwed it up. If Al Qaeda smash another few planes into another few skyscrapers, I call that reaping what you sow. If you choose a corrupt, inept, stupid, evangelical Christian warmongerer to be your Commander in Chief, you can hardly act surprised or offended when paramilitary groups form to fight against US imperialism and target the USA. You get what you deserve.

Admittedly, for the 50% that tried to get the guy out - I do feel for you. A lot of you must feel as sorely let down as the rest of us feel. However, you just didn't do enough. And if Bush gets another term, is the cultural civil war in the USA, this massive gulf between left and right... is it just going to be forgotten again until next election? Does the fight end here? That's damn lazy, and that's why Bush has another shot at the White House.

Fuck you very much.
[Edited 11/3/04 3:03am]

Gosh!

"Think inside out."

ian said:

ian said:

Ian,you summed up my thoughts completely.For weeks,I had been saying that if Americans are dumb enough to re-elect Bush,then we deserve whatever happens as a result.If people are satisfied with a sky-high deficit,a health care crisis,outrageous gasoline prices,millions of jobs being lost,having Osama still out there,taunting us with the threat of more attacks,a costly war in Iraq that will have no end,and being unpopular with many other countries,then sit back and enjoy the next four years.I'll be the one constantly saying "told you so" when things go wrong(and they will).

I work with a number of people in the book industry in the USA. They are all highly educated, intelligent and broad-minded people.

Not a single one of them voted for Bush - that, to me speaks volumes.

I am utterly dismayed by the incoming results. I feel for those who tried to make a difference.

I hope that Bush's seemingly inevitable victory is accompanied by the realisation that most of the world, and half of his country wanted him out.

Dancelot said:

don't worry, there's 4 more years now.. I bet he'll take the chance to show you how he can do even worse

Ian mate, I couldnt have said it better myself! What on earth are the Americans doing electing a man who stands on a pedestal and says 'WE' (as in America) are going to free the world 'in the name of god'? At the same time offering an ultimatum to the rest of the world - 'You are either with us or against us'.

And whilst he is preaching his crusade to free the world, he holds his 'hand book', the bible, aloft for everyone to see...

Now tell me, where is the difference between an Islamic leader preaching death to America in the name of the Koran, and this evangelical lunatic called Bush?

It is scary to think that a very large portion of America is so born again, evangilistic and right wing. Ban abortion, ban gay marriage and spread the word around the world in some epic global crusade - occupation and reformation.

That is borderline fascism!

What a scary thought!

Well, all I can do about it now is vote Blair out next year and hopefully distance ourselves from this lunatic... Unfortunately, we have too much of America's conservative money in our economy for us to do too much other than kiss the presidents arse, whoever he may be...

I mean this guy has just received a mandate from the American people to remain a war-time president... What the fuck is he going to do with that mandate over the next four years?

Jon said:

"Think inside out."

DavidEye said:

Ian,you summed up my thoughts completely.For weeks,I had been saying that if Americans are dumb enough to re-elect Bush,then we deserve whatever happens as a result.If people are satisfied with a sky-high deficit,a health care crisis,outrageous gasoline prices,millions of jobs being lost,having Osama still out there,taunting us with the threat of more attacks,a costly war in Iraq that will have no end,and being unpopular with many other countries,then sit back and enjoy the next four years.I'll be the one constantly saying "told you so" when things go wrong(and they will).

ian said:

DavidEye said:

Ian,you summed up my thoughts completely.For weeks,I had been saying that if Americans are dumb enough to re-elect Bush,then we deserve whatever happens as a result.If people are satisfied with a sky-high deficit,a health care crisis,outrageous gasoline prices,millions of jobs being lost,having Osama still out there,taunting us with the threat of more attacks,a costly war in Iraq that will have no end,and being unpopular with many other countries,then sit back and enjoy the next four years.I'll be the one constantly saying "told you so" when things go wrong(and they will).

Absolutely. Regarding the economy and the national deficit, I think most people pretty much ignore and act like it is someone else's problem. As long as their monthy paycheque isn't hurt too much, whatever shit their kids and grandchildren have to deal with down the line clearly isn't a big worry for American voters.

The health care issue is one I don't claim to understand. Do Americans just not want decent health care? Don't they realise that things can be a lot better in a civilised, democratic, wealthy nation? I don't get it.

It is such a shame to see people voting out of misguided fear of terrorism. No presidential candidate is more likely to create more anti-American feeling around the world than Bush. No presidential candidate provokes such strong hatred in the Arab world than Bush. He's just going to keep giving these groups more reasons to want to attack you. And to be honest, although Bin Laden is a murderous cunt, he makes some bloody good points about American foreign policy.

I'm sorry if I've offended anyone with my statements. The intellectual part of me says "fuck America, I have no sympathy for them now" but the emotional part of me is still sad for the many intelligent Americans who are not represented by Bush. It's gotta suck to have your country run by a bunch of ultra-Christian gun-toting slack jawed yokels. A country where big business gets higher priority than the citizens.

Voting out of fear for your physical safety... this makes a mockery of the democratic process in my view. As does the electoral college system (winner takes all in most states - how can that even pretend to adequately reflect the democratic will of the people?).
[Edited 11/3/04 3:59am]

Fuck Bush and fuck the millions of idiots that got him re-elected !

Oh, and great posts by Ian and the others as usual.

ian said:

DavidEye said:

Ian,you summed up my thoughts completely.For weeks,I had been saying that if Americans are dumb enough to re-elect Bush,then we deserve whatever happens as a result.If people are satisfied with a sky-high deficit,a health care crisis,outrageous gasoline prices,millions of jobs being lost,having Osama still out there,taunting us with the threat of more attacks,a costly war in Iraq that will have no end,and being unpopular with many other countries,then sit back and enjoy the next four years.I'll be the one constantly saying "told you so" when things go wrong(and they will).

Absolutely. Regarding the economy and the national deficit, I think most people pretty much ignore and act like it is someone else's problem. As long as their monthy paycheque isn't hurt too much, whatever shit their kids and grandchildren have to deal with down the line clearly isn't a big worry for American voters.

The health care issue is one I don't claim to understand. Do Americans just not want decent health care? Don't they realise that things can be a lot better in a civilised, democratic, wealthy nation? I don't get it.

It is such a shame to see people voting out of misguided fear of terrorism. No presidential candidate is more likely to create more anti-American feeling around the world than Bush. No presidential candidate provokes such strong hatred in the Arab world than Bush. He's just going to keep giving these groups more reasons to want to attack you. And to be honest, although Bin Laden is a murderous cunt, he makes some bloody good points about American foreign policy.

I'm sorry if I've offended anyone with my statements. The intellectual part of me says "fuck America, I have no sympathy for them now" but the emotional part of me is still sad for the many intelligent Americans who are not represented by Bush. It's gotta suck to have your country run by a bunch of ultra-Christian gun-toting slack jawed yokels. A country where big business gets higher priority than the citizens.

Voting out of fear for your physical safety... this makes a mockery of the democratic process in my view. As does the electoral college system (winner takes all in most states - how can that even pretend to adequately reflect the democratic will of the people?).

"Think inside out."

garganta said:

ian said:

DavidEye said:

garganta said:

Fuck Bush and fuck the millions of idiots that got him re-elected !

"Think inside out."

I think the American people are going to have a turbulant four years. Mass protests, economic uncertainty and even more disattachment from the rest of the world.

Iran and Syria are going to come to the forefront, and with a 'war time' president with no re-election worries throughout the next term, it makes for a very messy and unpopular four years... Combine that with the fact that Bush is not exactly adept at making good decisions with his very secular, unilateral approach... oh dear.

God forbid he tries to take on North Korea!

Cloudbuster said:

DavidEye said:

I hope they all get sodomized in hell.

Jon said:

"Think inside out."

DavidEye said:

Cloudbuster said:

I hope they all get sodomized in hell.

With no lube

"Think inside out."

matt said:

ian said:

Admittedly, for the 50% that tried to get the guy out - I do feel for you. A lot of you must feel as sorely let down as the rest of us feel. However, you just didn't do enough.

I feel that I did what I could. I voted for Kerry. I encouraged friends and family to vote for Kerry (which, to be sure, was basically preaching to the choir). Despite being between jobs and having no significant income, I donated money to Kerry's campaign. I offered myself as a volunteer to the Kerry campaign. In the end, my state (Washington) went for Kerry and gave him our 11 electoral votes.

ouch ian. please separate the pro-bush americans from the 'americans' you refer to.

i donated time and money to the kerry cause, there are perhaps TWO pro-bush persons among my acquiantances and family. ..

i have no idea how bush got elected and i'm really, truly scared of what will happen next

the only thing i can think of, what the analysts were discussing late last night, is that the "white evangelical christians" indeed mobilized in record numbers and "voted their conscience" on the lightning rod issues of abortion and gay marriage.

i'm so afraid for america right now i can't even begin to express how i feel. this was my hope for our future, that bush would be fired and we'd have a fighting chance to get ourselves together on environmental and foregin policies, to name a few close to my heart.

but it looks like the ride is going to get rougher instead

XxAxX said:

i had a scary moment of insight last night, watching the election returns ..

the church has control of america. it's like there's no room for anyone who doesn't follow the religious agenda. our 'faith based' president has rallied people around the 'moral issues'. which is ironic since he's responsible for killing so many people in this iraq war. .. .

i think things are going to become much much worse before they get better because this country is being led by a man who is actually hoping the apocalypse/rapture/second coming of christ will occur on his watch and might even be trying to bring it about

I guess our only hope is for Election 2008.Maybe by then,folks will finally wake up and realize that the GOP is bad for America.The country will really be screwed up by then.

Actually, I am very sorry for all the good
people in America that have to endure this
another 4 years

.
[Edited 11/3/04 5:21am]

"Think inside out."

DavidEye said:

DavidEye said:

XxAxX said: