Looking at today’s election results, I find it discouraging that a majority (or at least a large half) of the American people feels that:[ul][li]It is OK to start wars with foreign countries based on false premises and rhetorical pretexts; countries that never threatened us, just because we don’t like the regime. Step right up, North Korea, you wanna be next?[]It’s OK to up the discrimination level for unpopular groups of citizens; for the first time in a long time, laws have been passed that INCREASE discrimination and LEGALIZE intolerance. Who’s the next group we don’t like?[]It’s fine to use an isolated terrorist act to redefine “war”; to use a “war” environment to broadly take away rights from citizens without recourse to courts, and to tax citizens more than ever to pay FOG (Friends Of Government). []It’s great to be able to do all this in spite of the fact that 9/11 happened on your own watch, snuck under your own radar, and made a fool of your own regime. If you can’t protect your own people, attack innocents somewhere else, where they can’t vote against you. Do you really think terrorists will give up all activity one future day?[]It’s a moral imperative to, after championing the concept of the United Nations for 60 years, to insist that the concept applies to everyone else, but not you. If everyone took that attitude, why have the UN at all?[]It’s the Christian thing to do to insist that the government adhere to your own, infallible, faith-based principles instead of the broader concept of personal choice and religious freedom, and impose these principles on everyone else.[]It’s OK to repeat the Vietnam experience again and again. Spend money, waste lives by the thousands, increase antagonism to your country world-wide, for no clearly-defined purpose and with no clearly-defined end. If you are perceived as a bully, make sure everyone knows you are the biggest, baddest bully on the block, no shit.[/ul][/li]
(I’m sure I’ll think of more, but that’s my start for now.)
“…a majority (or at least a large half) of the American people feels that:”
[ul]
[li]blindly, unwaveringly refusing to reconsider a decision once it has been made is a positive character trait[/li][/ul]
Since so many people ‘fell’ for W, perhaps, just perhaps it may be time to re-evaluate your thinking. I’m not saying that the masses are always correct, but there is different and equally as valid views out there which see it totally diferent then you do.
W now has a mandate, and both houses. So try to think what will happen, The draft? Tax cuts that hurt our ecconomny? Trading Nukes w/ N K? I don’t know what you beleive W will do, but you do! and this can serve to you as a reality check and perhaps reevaluate your views over his term.
I have mine as well, I think the draft is unthinkable and counterproductive, I think showing strengh works. I am indeed watching what comes and will temper my view of how the world turns based on W’s 2nd term.
Whatever the case I won’t freely vote for him for a 3rd term.
If our luck holds, you won’t be required to make that decision yourself. 
But, constitutional amendments being all the rage, you could always propose one to repeal #22.
Well it would arguably require the repeal of the 14th (provide aid and comfort to the enemy w/ his post war activities) to allow Kerry to assume the office if he did win.
(back at ya)
Anyway to be honest I am worried about our systematic loss of rights over the years and would not be shocked if either party tried to pull a 3rd term. I am a firm believer of the statement that people who give up freedom for security deserve neither (paraphrased from B. Franklin), and this is what worries me w/ our current gov’t. I don’t see Kerry was a viable option however.
Also I am not saying don’t stop fighting the good fight, go tie your self to an old growth tree and I will support you (if it’s not in my yard), what I am saying after the radioactive dust has cleared, have a good look and see if this idea is worth supporting.
I did and have changed my view of the Clinton years, though the idea of a Hillary dynasty still scares me.
No worry; we’ve got nothing like that now. Just a Bush dynasty. 
Moving this from IMHO to The BBQ Pit.
What the election results mean to me:
We’d better all hope Cheney doesn’t have another heart attack, or Bush might have to run the country. :eek:
What the election result means to me:
More expensive flight tickets just to avoid stopovers in the former land of the free. Damnit, I so wanted to visit again, but now I have to wait 4 more years.
What the election result means to me:
The election (and the past 10 years of politics) taught me a lot about human(?) sexuality. It’s the worst thing in the world if a White House intern sucks Clinton’s dick. But it’s standard procedure for the press to such Bush’s dick. 
OK, crude, but fuck it, this is the Pit.
For me it means I do not get to go to the States for another 4 years.
I really wanted to come over and visit some themeparks and maybe a nice wilderness reserve.
But I am not feeling very welcome in the States as long as it is run by these scaremongers.
I am not willing to give fingerprints and DNA samples just to have vacation in the “land of the free”.