I watched John Kerry’s concession speech and then forced myself to sit through George W. Bush’s victory speech yesterday. (I was fortunate enough to have taken the day off work. I needed the rest after working a 14-hour day at the polls on Tuesday.) I was appreciative of Kerry’s grace and dignity and thoroughly sickened by Bush’s smug attempt at the same qualities. Of course, what else could I have reasonably expected?
In America, it is vital that every vote count, and that every vote be counted. But the outcome should be decided by voters, not a protracted legal process…. But is now clear that even when all the provisional ballots are counted, which they will be, there won’t be enough outstanding votes for us to be able to win Ohio. And therefore we cannot win this election….
I did my best to express my vision and my hopes for America. We worked hard and we fought hard, and I wish that things had turned out a little differently.
But in an American election, there are no losers, because whether or not our candidates are successful, the next morning we all wake up as Americans.
After twisting Kerry’s words for months, and campaigning on vague generalities, half-truths, and outright lies, Bush now has the gall to take the high road? After dragging his campaign through the mud, he now decides to play the gracious victor? God, I wanted to be ill. Four more years of that smirking, lying fool. Un-@!#$%*&-believable.
Yes, you can call me bitter, though I imagine that my perspective will change somewhat over the next few days or weeks. I do find it rather comical, though, that Bush is now pledging to reach out to Democrats. If he couldn’t be bothered to do it over his first four years, how can we be expected to believe now that he has seen the blinding white light of bipartisanship? With both houses of Congress firmly in Republican control, how can we reasonably expect anything but a return to the far-Right agenda and the slash-and-burn Conservatism that were the hallmarks of Bush’s first four years?
The answer, of course, is that there is no incentive for Bush and his Right-wing cabal to reach to anyone that doesn’t share their judgemental, narrow-minded, self-centered political viewpoint. They have everything a collection of self-absorbed ideologues could ever want: a clear agenda to force on Americans, and a clear path ahead of them with which to do it. Republicans must feel like kids on Christmas morning.
America has spoken, and I am humbled by the trust and confidence of my fellow citizens. With that trust comes a duty to serve all Americans…. To make this nation strong and better, I will need your support and I will work to earn it. I will do all I can to earn your trust. When we come to together and work together, there is no limit to the greatness of America.
Bush and his neo-Conservative cohorts have spent the past four years telling Democrats that they can go pound sand (albeit softly couched in diplo-speak). Are we now to believe that they are Uniters and not Dividers?? Do they really think those of us on the Left are that stupid?? Apparently so.
Sorry, y’all but I do not for a minute believe that these wolves in sheep’s clothing will do ANYTHING but continue on the same path that they have travelled for the past four years. Why SHOULD they? They are in a position of virtually absolute power. Democrats would be doing much the same thing were the roles reversed. That is the way game is played.
Over the past four years, Bush has quietly but steadily filling judicial appointments with strict-conctructionist Social Conservatives who will set legal precedent for years, if not decades to come. With William Rehnquist’s apparently much graver than reported illness, Bush may well have the opportunity to fill a Supreme Court seat. Of course, there should be little doubt that this appointee would be anything but yet another strict-conctructionist Social Conservative, and likely a relatively young one. With other members of the Supreme Court getting up in years, there is the very real possiblity that George W. Bush may be presented with the opportunity to pack the Court with those whose social, moral, and legal philosophies mirror his own (rich, white, Conservative, Fundamentalist). Those of us on the Left should be shuddering at the possibility that we may be fighting a pitched battle in which we are at a decided disadvantage.
Bush may be in office for only another four years, but his legacy could well be with us for much longer. The forces of fear, ignorance, and reaction could well be lording it over us for years, perhaps generations. We will be ridiculed, ignored, and marginalized, and our views and concerns generally disregarded. If I sound pessimistic, it’s because the past four years have given me ample reason. Over the past four years, the Bush Administration’s response to the concerns of the Left has been a resounding F—K YOU. Are we to suddenly believe that, with this victory, the Bush Administration will become all touchy-feely on us? I may be an optimist, but I’m not stupid.
Over the next four years, the poor, minorities, and those of us on the Left might as well accept that we will be (metaphorically) bending over and grabbing our ankles. If you’re rich, white, and Republican, it’s going to be a good time to be alive. You’ll enjoy the ride. For the rest of us…well, get used to life as part of the unwashed masses. Of course, if you’re part of the lower middle class and you voted for Bush, you have only yourself to blame. As far as I’m concerned, you folks CAN go pound sand. You made your bed; now you get to lie in it. Hang on tight; in four years it just may be all you have left.
