A Dark Day in America: Bush takes presidency

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http://www.canadiancontent.net/commtr/article_714.html

 

A Dark Day in America: Bush takes presidency

 

Canadian Content . Net

 

By Jamie Foxer

Wednesday November 3, 2004

 

Bush's popular vote outcome is not surprising to me. Bush has been

always successful in fear mongering the " patriotic " base into loyal

submission. That's been a hallmark of his administration. What I'm

worried about is how, with all the Fahrenheit 9/11s, all the

government leaks, the Paul o' Neils, Richard Holbrookes, Abu-Ghraib's,

Al-Qaqaas, the dismal presidential debates (for Bush), the depressed

economy, the ballooning of the federal deficit, the loss of millions

of jobs, the absolutely Orwellian anti-environmental policy of this

administration, the Leave No Child Left Behind initiative (entitled

sarcastically by actual teachers as the " No Child Left Alive " act),

the smearing of our international reputation like no other

administration before, the unnecessary embroilment in Iraq, the

fumbling of the ball with respect to finding Osama Bin Laden in Tora

Bora, the Patriot Act and curtailment of liberties and so on....

 

How could the American people vote massively (by a 3-4 million vote

margin) to re-elect this fool...this dangerous, arrogant fool? We in

the U.S. can look forward to 4 more years of increased reactionary

policies in government. With re-election now not an issue for Bush,

with the Congress firmly in Republican hands, and with the Supreme

Court looking to be shaped for the next decades by Bush, you're going

to see some of the most reactionary bills in the history of the United

States suddenly be taken off the shelves of Republican think-thanks

and pressed on the Congress to be passed quickly and easily. Welcome

to Bush's 2nd term!

 

In one way, I feel relieved. For years, I've tried to state to my

friends that it's not just the " government " but " the people " . There

seems to be an unspoken taboo regarding accusing the American people

to be the source of our bad government, but in this case, I think that

the adage that a people " deserve the government they elect " proves

true. How long are we supposed to look the other way to the fact that

a large part of country holds increasingly ignorant and

radical-religious views? Who are the voting for? The American people

have chosen to ignore all the incredibly abundant signs of corruption

and reactionary ultra-conservatism of this administration and have

given control of the world's fate to this arrogant Cowboy from Texas,

and his crew of corporate-ruled cadres, and neocon imperial

fanatics....AGAIN. " Fool me once, shame on you...fool me twice, shame

on ME " . And boy does it seem that we've been fooled! The first time

the election was stolen...this time, we gave it to the thief!

 

Shame on you, American people. You were given a lot of facts and you

ignored them, focusing more on whether you liked Bush's " confident "

swagger than Kerry's more reserved style. Stylistic issues took

precedence over hard facts. My message to Red States and Republicans:

I don't want to see a single tear about dead soldiers anywhere on the

globe from Red States or Republican families. You've forfeited your

right to be legitimately to be angry about our embroilments abroad

when you voted for the man who sent your sons/daughters to die

unnecessarily. I don't want to hear laments about how we find

ourselves still quagmired in Iraq and the President is saber-rattling

about starting a War with Iran. I don't want to hear about how you

felt uncomfortable in your last trip to pretty much all of Europe,

Asia, Africa, or Latin America. I don't want to see a single cry of

surprise or outrage if another terrorist attack does occur....we've

had ample evidence to prove that Bush's arrogance has proved a

recruiting boon for equally angry radical Islamists in the Middle

East. We've made that easier for them, and an attack more likely. I

don't want to hear a single complaint about gas prices going up or a

Republican losing his job or the economy deepening its

inequality...you knew who you were electing in this election and you

knew his record on the economy. I don't want to hear about another

" hero " who has died in foreign lands. If they truly were our heroes,

we wouldn't have elected this President, which will assure that they

stay in harm's way for more unnecessary reasons and for longer times.

If you get searched on some airplane and detained at an airport, don't

act indignant that they stopped you (a Republican); instead reflect on

how you made it possible for the " big brother " government to continue,

and worsen. If you have any integrity left, Republicans and Red

States, you will suck up all " second-thoughts " in the Bush 2nd term

and spare us, the Democrats, the pain, anger and anguish of having to

say, " not only did we TELL YOU SO, you could see it for yourself for

the last 4 years! " . You knew...damnit, you knew what you were

doing...and you still gave power to this dangerous fool.

 

We deserve the government we elected, we deserve the corruption,

fearmongering, and war-waging that will occur in the 2nd term, we

deserve every single part. We have nothing more to do than wade

through Dante's last circle of hell and hope we come out the other

side with some semblance of our Republic.

 

Jamie Foxer is an undergraduate student at the University of

Massachusetts. She may be reached at jamiefoxer.