What A Fucked Up Country We Live In... How Did We Get To Be Like This?

[arwalden]

I'm not proud to be an American. This is a day of national shame.

[WilmywoodNCparalegal]

1. I hope that

the economy tanks (red states only), Iraq gets messier, Iran is invaded, a draft is called (red staters only), people lose jobs (red states only), people lose health care (red states only) and that a scientist somewhere in the U.K. discovers that stem cell research cures a host of diseases. I also hope that one of the Bush twins will have to have an abortion, right after the Supreme Court reverses Roe v. Wade.

[NurseLefty]

5. WTF would the red states do without the blues states?

We leeebral sodomites who live our godless lives in the cities and indrustious areas of the nation write the meal ticket for the bible thumpers! If just NY and CA for instance was no longer contributing to the GDP, what would the red states do? Live humble god fearing lives, indeed.

[Name removed]

13. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[jshafted]

20. Screw That

NY has as much arabale farm land as any Red State, ME Grows 38% of the potatoes in the US, CA grows most of our fruit

[calmblueocean]

31. You're so right.

I wish I knew how to use this fact to our advantage.

[sir_arms_50]

34. ?

hmmmm..

[Chimpeach]

19. FUCK!

Fuck Fuck Fuck.

I am nauseous.

"The country we carry in our hearts is waiting." Bruce Springsteen

(Unfortunately it will have to wait four more years -- Chimpeach)

[info being]

23. I agree!

[peaches2003]

2. You get what you deserve

And Bush IS what America deserves- either for voting for this thug who is fucking everyone who voted for him OR because the majority is too sheeple to demand all the votes are counted.

And now begins the 'Let Us All Unite Crap'. WTF does that mean anyway??? I'm not uniting behind Bush, he's not my President, and I will never support a damn thing he does. NEVER. Blood is on his hands and he will rot in hell.

[jshafted]

7. It's like Carlin said

Fuck the Public, the public sucks, when you have a brutal vain ignorant public you get brutal vain ignorant leaders.
Seriously, I see many people on this board telling me It's not over, but even if it's not, What does it matter? The people have spoken or been spoken for and we have embraced a wild gun-toting anti-intellectual theocracy.
I am now a History major in NY planning on attending Law School in fall 05, but now I think that I will be changing my major to education, there are jobs open across the border in Canada, and after 3 years (the same as law school would have been) I can become a Canadian citizen. This country is irredeemable!

[peaches2003]

12. Agree

We are in our 60s, so it hardly matters to us, I guess, but we are thinking of Canada also. Don't want to be part of this here as long as Bush is in charge.

Our grandson will be 17 in 4 years and we would like to provide a haven for him to escape serving in a Bush war. I know Bush won't give up power in 4 years, but we don't want to be here when the civil war starts.

[smirkymonkey]

24. Here, here.

I am sick of fighting for a populace that doesn't want change.

[doodlebugs4kerry]

32. This country is irredeemable!

This country is irredeemable! :cry: :cry::cry:

[havocmom]

3. Part of it was not recognizing the danger of the early hate mongers

on the radio. We didn't take them seriously soon enough.

I'm with ya, Allen. I have a daughter who will likely go to Australia if a draft comes. Without the prospect of seeing her again, I will be old, sick, unable to get medical care and a friggin loose cannon.

Damn, I need a hug right now. Where are the Americans? Where did they go? Did they become extinct or have they truly been taken over by fascists?

Tired today. Taking up the cause again tomorrow.

Love you guys.

[Imperialism Inc.]

4. I can't believe it.

I am in total shock. I had faith in the American people but I was wrong. Guess that's why I don't do faith much. This should not have even been close. How bad does someone have to be?
Fuck this shit.

[Charles19]

9. I would like to make some sense of this too but....

how in the hell does "it came down to peoples importance they are placing on morality"? justify any of this crap we are seeing. Kerry is not moral ????? of course he is and a lot more than Bush.

Record turnout and a much more energized opposition and WAY more republicans just magically turn out and vote for the same. I can't make sense of it and I just don't buy it.

After the investigations are done maybe it will be more clear but c'mon you have to be kidding me that as many new repugs were motivated to go out and vote as new registered dem's. How could they possibly get motivated for higher health insurance, bigger deficets, more idiotic war, higher housing costs, more lost jobs and worse wages ???? Give me a break, I aint BUYING IT !!!!!!

[progressivebydesign]

17. We need to understand something.. and it will help..

The wedge issues, Gay Marriage and Late Term Abortions and even Stem Cell research, were HUGELY HYPED BY the republicans to energize and motivate the right wing christian base. They've admitted it. They are non-issues dreamed up to get the ultra righties to the polls. Unfortunately, if you look closely at the ELEVEN states that banned Gay Marriage this election, you'll see that there are a lot of people voting that are homophones and worse. The ultra right wing christians believed that this election is about no less than Jesus' abilty to return to Earth.. and Bush was able to pander to that.

[Upfront]

30. I have faith

in the stupidly of the American people, and they did not let me down.

[HappinessPie]

6. I'm scared, ashamed, and embarrasssed.

[EndElectoral]

8. Is there any possiblity of secession?

[gumby]

10. Rush Limbaugh

and his hordes of imitators on the radio, including the Christian Right broadcasters.

When our country became overwhelmed with fascist propaganda (which is always laced with religiosity), George Bush is the logical outcome.

[BOHICA06]

11. Democracy is messy .... eom

[progressivebydesign]

14. My mind is all over the place right now..

Some thoughts:

ANGER: Yes, I'm angry with Kerry at this moment, but it's subsiding. I was enraged that he would concede so fast. BUT without a popular vote mandate, what damage would it do to us if he fought and kept it going?

DIEBOLD (even the name is creepy!): We will NEVER know how many votes were lost or changed, unless someone finds a paper trail of internal memos or notes on the subject. I do find it compelling that in the areas with computer voting, the exit polls WILDLY divurged from the actual vote numbers. I can work that way for House and Senate races, also. I am convinced that they played a HUGE role in this loss. I believe that many more people are moving toward conservative Christianty, BUT.. there is NO reason that Bush should have gotten that many votes... not with ALL the Republicans that have spoken out against him, with all the scandals, etc.

REALITY: 9/11 screwed up a lot of people. It was a horrific attack, yes. But the media's obsession with it, and the images of it, and Bush's obsession with politicizing it, and religicizing it, cost us dearly. OBL's tape DID have an effect with the supersticious, frightened, uninformed voters. When you have the #1 rated news channel SAYING that OBL endorsed Kerry.. what do we expect from some voters?? The religious right is aching to take over the country, and this should be a wake up call. There are probably so many more fundamentalist and born again Christians that voted this time.. motivated and assisted by the RNC. (But they threaten the NAACP with IRS investigations, insstead!).

CONGRESS/SENATE: You know, to me I can even except shit-for-brains as president again, IF we had control of at LEAST ONE of those groups. Senate or House. That is where our attentions need to be focused now... on the mid-terms. The ONLY way we will EVER get our media back, is to get control of our governments again. The media is the key, also in the elections. It cannot be overstated.

CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM: THIS is a biggie. Real restrictions need to be made now. The Swift Boat Scumbags From Hell should NEVER be able to operate again... I am willing to live without the Dem leaning 527s if it means that those motherfuckers are not allowed to operate again. BUT.. none of this can happen UNTIL we take back the HOUSE and/or SENATE.

VOTER EDUCATION: We must press for REAL voter education in High School government classes. TEACH them how to register, how to vote.. not just rambling monologues about the voting system.

ACCEPTANCE: I'm bitter, and I'm angry. I'm angry at the media for allowing that monster to operate unquestioned for the past 4 years. I'm angry that only a handful asked questions about the Iraq War, the computer voting conflict of interest, of the intimidation tactics and dirty tricks this election. I will get over the initial anger and pain... and I have to turn it into positive energy that will reshape the Democratic Party.

PROPS to Howard Dean, for waking up the electorate. And.. to John Kerry and John Edwards, who ran a good campaign.

[DaveofCali]

15. THIS IS THE BIGGEST HUMILIATION IN AMERICAN HISTORY....

WHEN WE JUST FUCKIN LET A PRESIDENT WITH TRUCKLOADS OF DAMNING EVIDENCE OF CRIMES AND ANTIAMERICANISM WIN!!!

[transeo]

16. Why, why, why?????

WTF happened? I sat in disbelief last night watching the news. I just can't accept it. Something has to very seriously wrong with our country or our electoral system for this to have happened.

:wtf: :puke:

[jshafted]

18. I'm sorry, my earlier post was me venting

You want answers why we are as a nation the way we are. First, because the right has systematically underfunded undervalued and disdained education and educators (why do you think that they term the NEA as terrorists), they have made science equal to faith in our public discourse, they have stirred up a political 3rd Great Awakening. They have allowed our media to become conglomeratized and our voting too.
and the worst part

WE ALLOWED THEM TO DO IT

[Bernardo de La Paz]

21. The Two Party Duopoly is artificial and anti-competitive. Scrap it. . nt

[Pathwalker]

22. 150 million BELOW AVERAGE people!

The damage is only beginning.

[jobycom]

25. I hate to admit it, but Joe Scarborough the killer said it well, last nigh

Talking about Delay's redistricting of Texas, he was upset about it. he said that both sides are willing to make deals in the redistricting to create safe seats, so they create noodle and amoeba looking districts to get all the liberals in one district, all the conservatives in another, and one district for black and one for Hispanic citizens.

So what happens is the both liberal and conservative districts win by being extremists, and compromising least with the other side. People don't win by working the middle. That's what happened to Stenholm and Frost, and Scarborough seemed upset that they lost, and that they were replaced by the people they were.

He said flat out, "Look, I'm a conservative, but this has got to change."

I think he nailed it. Our government is made up of dramatic extremes because we have been drawn that way, and the closest thing to balance we can achieve is usually deadlock. That gives the president more power, and it gives extremists more power, and is stifles discussion, and compromise. It also stifles the willingness of people to listen to new ideas, since they feel the have to align with one extreme or the other.

We need to fix this gerrymandering redistricting crap, not as Democrats, but as citizens. We can still be extremists, can still fight for our radical ideals, but with more moderates in office we have a better chance of getting less resistance.

And to be clear, I'm not claiming any of us should be more moderate or should vote for moderates. I'm claiming that this polarized system has to change. Jerry Clower used to do a routine about a friend of his that climbed up a tree and wound up in a fight with a raccoon. After a long fight he screams down to his friends "Shoot!" They say "But we might hit you!" He answers "Shoot up amongst us, one of has to have some relief!"

This winner-take-all stuff is killing everything.

[AgadorSparticus]

26. i don't believe that many people voted for him. it's all diebold.

we have no democracy if we allow this to continue.

[vpurto]

27. You live with whatever people you have

Once, during discussion between Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin and distinguished group of avant-guard men of letters, artists and composers, famous composer Dmitri Shostakovich being one of them, some participants complained that 'simple people' do not understand them, that is their books, poetry, art, and music. In response Joseph Stalin had replied, and I quote ‘Sorry, but at the moment I do not have another people for you’. So is with us, blue-staters.

American people proved once again that they, in fact, are as deeply divided as they were always been starting from War for Independence; then before and during Civil War; then before World War 2; and, finally, now. The division line may go between Puritans and Cavaliers, Federalists and Republicans, slave-owners and family farmers, industrial North and agricultural South, Blue America and Red America, but all those division lines boiled down now into great divide between Faith and Reason and between Democrats and Imperialists. This final divisions allow for no compromise, they call only for war, the 4th stage of great Civil War that started back in 1776. The bad news is that Kerry was not up to the task from day one, neither was Democratic Leadership Council, who stole Democratic Party from under our very noses. However, the good news is that Bush is not up to the task either. Our main goal now is to stop American Empire on her trucks, and nobody helped to accomplish this task more than George W. Bush did. Everybody who tries to help Bush by out-bushing him, either by increasing amount of troops in Iraq, or by invoking God’s name in vain on every occasion, is, in fact delaying the day of reckoning and prolong suffering. History has its own subtle ways to teach us important lessons and travails of arrogance and imperial hubris are most appropriate for us.

[one_true_leroy]

28. NEWT GINGRICH!!

that was the beginning of the end!

[wrate]

29. America gave up on Democracy when computerized voting was allowed.

Get rid of it. Go back to basics so that you can be 150% certain of who really won.

[doodlebugs4kerry]

33. This is a day of national shame.

:puke: :cry: :puke: :cry: :puke: :cry: :puke: :cry: :puke: :cry:

[vpurto]

35. Country is not fucked, people are

American people have been fucked, duped and debrained so intensively and for so long that nobody can blame them for lack of reason. In 19th century labor disputes more strikers were killed than in Czarist Russia. Nowhere in the industrial world discharge for insubordination would lead to loss of unemployment and medical insurance and possible place to live. America the Beautiful is the land of panic stricken people, not the land of the brave. And there is nothing more dangerous than panicked beast. Add to this brew a massive vote fraud and you have perfect recipe for perfect storm.

[cavvie]

36. Makes you think

I think there's going to be a lot of soul searching in the Democratic party. There's one thing that we all have to remember:

America brought forth classical liberalism in our new system of government and revolutionary war; this was in 1776.

Today in the world, the United States of America is actually a moderate-conservative nation. This is something we have to remember. I am completely shocked that in all 12 of the Gay-Marriage bans, only the one in Oregan was remotely close, if you call 57/43 close.

Man oh man, the Republicans are going to run with this one. They cleaned up our country.