Something Wicked This Way Comes
This is a momentous day, my friends. Today we enter the crucible of democracy, to test its boundaries and to examine its foundations. Today we come together as citizens (and curious visitors) to gauge our values and to discover their true worth. One more chapter is behind us. Today we begin another journey.
That’s right, it’s the start of the NBA season.
For anyone following any other event that may be taking place today, leaked exit polls have Kerry looking good in some surprising places – although exit polls also had Gore winning handily in 2000. If Kerry wins the electoral college and Bush wins the popular vote, as some polls are predicting, the reaction from both camps is going to be tremendously amusing.
Before I throw my hands up and retire to the bar, here are some wise words from Jesse Walker:
Tomorrow, barring another recount mess, we will have a president-elect. I can’t tell you his name, but I can tell you a few things about him. He wanted George Bush to have the authority to launch a war in Iraq, and he probably would have invaded whether or not there were weapons of mass destruction there. He thinks the Federal Election Commission should strictly regulate political speech, and he thinks the Federal Communications Commission should strictly regulate non-political speech. He supported the Patriot Act, the No Child Left Behind Act, and the Aviation and Transportation Security Act, and he will not be parsimonious with the public purse. He’s a child of privilege who acquired great wealth without earning it in the marketplace. And I didn’t vote for him.
See you on the other side.
Don’t blame me, I voted for Kodos.
Anti-Civilization journal of opinion. Well the journal of opion part doesn’t seem so bad.
Im with you olly. The are that I don’t understand is how easily I can say im opposed to Bush here, but dare I naysay for kerry and the conversation ends! Thier policies were so incredibly similar that it really WAS about the “moral vote” this year! That was the only difference.
“www.greenanarchy.org cannot be found”
Hah – their attempts to use the very system they oppose in order to start the revolution have failed. Score one for the system.
I beat you by a minute, sir.
And still no-one can tell me what Eugene stands for.
Or even what it won’t stand for.
Stan: try this.
No, that wasn’t me. I duck any and all political questions by explaining that I am a simple foreigner who doesn’t understand such things. Plus, given the prominent role of the excluded middle in the subject I teach and study, entering the murky world of politics would be a terribly unprofessional thing to do. It’s definitely not my job to explain that one can be opposed to both Bush and Kerry – still, I wish someone would do something to popularize the notion.
Okay, Tim, enough with the “that one” thing. You’re helping my head hurt.
A latter-day mathematical Hobbes, that one.
Surely that wasn’t you, Ruff?
I heard in the halls of deady today, a math major say that we shouldn’t have democracy anymore beause people aren’t smart enough to make the right choice.
I love this town…
Such respect for the electoral process, that one.
Stan: My now exboyfriend claims he is no longer and American and he’s leaving for Italy on the next aeroplane out.
Good riddance.
From the pinko liberal BBC coverage:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3973197.stm
I’m sort-of worried that “moral issues” were the key issue in this campaign (even if only be a few percent):
22% Moral Values
20% Economy
19% Terrorism
15% Iraq
Odd, is all.
For those not in the country, what *does* Eugene represent?
I’m glad to see Daschle lose, rather. For shit sake, a goddamn college degree, you’d think I could spell. Also, Dan, if it didn’t make me so paranoid I’d be right there buring what Eugene represents with you.
I might have, in more improvident moments, offered to leave the country if Bush wins this time. Luckily, however, I can do that by remaining in Eugene.
{This is not an endorsement of anything Eugene represents. I hate, and would prefer to burn immediately, anything that Eugene represents. I’m just saying, is all.)
Also, forgot to add, there’s a sort of desperation in the coverage in the UK, where none of the news networks wants to admit that Bush is clearly winning as it stands. Everyone’s getting quite excited about the idea of provisional ballots and so forth, almost desperate for some sort of controversy or recount or *something*.
The disappointment that no-ones suing anyone and that Bush has won is quite obvious and kinda amusing, in a depressing sort of way.
Has anyone actually promised to leave the country if Bush wins this time?
It’s nice to see that there’s a clear mandate and also a clear popular vote too.
CBS called ohio at about 930pst and then NBC followed shortly thereafter. Fox called it after them I believe. Bush has a 2.7% lead with 99% reporting as of now; Kerry cannot win it.
Yahoo isn’t calling ohio yet, but they called NV.
NBC is keeping the count at 269, probably to retain viewers…
Bush wins.
Yeah im glad that daschle lost too. Yayness.
And, honestly, even if Kerry manages to win Ohio and hole this thing out, I’m satisfied that Daschle seems likely to loose to Thune at this point. Tom, catch your plane ride on time.
Nevada has been called for Bush, by the Yahoo news folks at least. Fox is still the only network to call Ohio, so I’m going to hold off on that. New Mexico looks to be going Bush also, so I’m surprised that hasn’t been called yet.
wait, Bush’s lead widened to 136k..
What? As of my previous post, 97% of the votes had been counted in Ohio, with Bush leading by over 125k. They can call New Mexico also. I remember the 2000 election when they called florida before the polls closed in the pan handel, and now they are afraid to call a 125k vote lead with 97% reporting?
Bush has about 4 million more popular votes than kerry too. I have no problem with kerry not conceding, but I think it’s hilarious that Bush now has a greater mandate than the first election when they tried so hard to get him out.
ah ah ah. As much as I want him to win, he isn’t out of the woods yet.
Anyone else annoyed with the insufficient ballot-casting methods of Ohio? We might as well be learning written language all over again for all the good it’s doing them.
Suppose someone is paying off states to hold up election results.
And how the hell do they predict percenages with no precincts reporting in? Dammit. Just give it to Bush so I can go to sleep happy.
Bush wins. Where are the riots?
I predict that however badly the loser behaves in defeat, the eventual winner will be even more obnoxious.
Depressing words, indeed. One thing, though, regarding Kerry at least: since when is the marryin’ field not a marketplace?