America lost yesterday.
Because yesterday's election was won by the faith-based rather than the fact-based vote.
I'm not talking about you Evangelicals and others who voted for Bush because of his religiosity. I can understand how you might have judged him to be a good man, and so take him at his word.
Unfortunately for us all, in the real world his word is brass not gold.
Part of that is because most of the words aren't his words, but the words of Karl Rove and Dick Cheney and Paul Wolfowitz and their ilk. And often they are only passing on the word from big business and a variety of special interests.
But Bush has become a willing and even enthusiastic champion of untruths, knowingly bearing false witness in order to get and keep power.
And this is hurting America, doing irreparable harm even to what it means to be an American.
But Illegitimus Non Carborundum.
I'll be back.
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Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Kurt Nordstrom
Faith is not faith if not held as fact by the faithful. The evangelicals who voted for Bush don't need, or expect, others to appreciate his faith.
At the same time, it is folly to expect them to ignore their faith when voting.
2 - jb
That's right. Let it all out, release the rest of your anger and conspiracies. Go through the process ... so we DON'T have to hear it for the next 4 years. We're tired of it.
3 - Mac Diva
I think pay off time to the fundamentalists is going to have an impact on society in several ways. Examples:
~ Roe v. Wade will be further crippled, if not overturned.
~ There will be no help from the federal government in regard to rights for homosexuals. Though I've said otherwise, the constitutional amendment against gay marriage may pass now.
~ The walls between church and state will further erode. Public schools are in for it as the Bushites try to funnel money to religious schools.
In a way, America has just been yanked back to 1692. To prepare oneself for what's coming, it might be a good idea to reread The Crucible.
4 - Hal Pawluk
Has this site been taken over entirely by you teenie-boppers, jb?
Any adults with an opinion out there?
5 - Jim Carruthers
If I can give you some advice from a country where we actually have social programmes, (and this applies doubly to those of you who voted for Bush, because you need more to be prepared).
Eat a quarter-teaspoon of cat-food everyday. That way it won't come as much of a surprise when you reach your 60s.
6 - andy marsh
you don't get it do you canadian...we don't want your advice...the whole world just tried to tell us who to vote for and I think we answered them! you just stay up there in canada with your hand out.
7 - boomcrashbaby
Yeah, Canada, we don't want anything from you! (oh, pssst, btw, will you help us liberate Iraq? pretty please?)
8 - andy marsh
nice try boom...all 31 of them? WOW!
9 - boomcrashbaby
Now Andy, the right has gone on and on about how our coalition is a large group of willing participants who support Bush's ideology. Now that the election is over, we can flip-flop on our stance and poke fun at how much 'unity' our coalition really is? Just like the left has been doing all along? Is that it?
10 - andy marsh
Any help is appreciated...but let's not make it seem like it's some monstrous sacrifice.
The world just got done trying to tell us who to vote for...and the people of this country told them where to go...
and we surely don't need economic advice from a socialist nation.
11 - andy marsh
boom - you can go back to my first post on BC...and I'm sure the canadian will tell you also...I've never been a big fan of other countries trying to tell the US how to conduct business.
12 - boomcrashbaby
But you have no problem with the US crafting military AND economic AND foreign policy that affects millions worldwide, do you? Should they speak out about it, then we just say 'fuck you, it's our business'.
Ah, the warmth of the Right. No wonder Ann Coulter's skin is always a faint shade of blue.
13 - andy marsh
I've been through all this already...the U.S. bends over to help the world and all it gets is the shaft!
The UN makes threats and does nothing about them!
Americans get killed all over the world and no one gives a damn...so no... I don't give a rats ass if our policies affect the rest of the world.
Ronald Reagans policies affected the rest of the world and now a wall is gone in Germany...how did the Germans repay that? By making illegal deals with the Iraqis behind the worlds back...over top of the mighty UN sanctions...so other than the select few...yeah...I say to hell with all of 'em!
14 - Eric Olsen
I wasn't planning on retiring until at least 80 anyway - lots of writers are late bloomers
15 - boomcrashbaby
I say to hell with all of 'em!
So, Andy, how is it that law-abiding American citizens such as myself got thrown in the mix too? And poor people, fuck them too, right? Liberals, gay people, people all over the rest of the world (that tiny minority), main stream media, Clinton, just fuck em all, right? Just fuck the whole damn world.
16 - andy marsh
not the whole world...I did say there is a select few...
17 - Hal Pawluk
You're right, andy.
The US is a kind and helpful nation, helping Contra death squads, the Shah of Iran and his SAVAK, selling WMD componenets to Saddam Hussein, supporting Pinochet as he "disappeared" opponents, occasionally invading a country here and there.
It's a wonder that so many people simply will not see the truth, isn't it?
18 - Jim Carruthers
Andy, you sound exactly like some old coot who is planning to set fire to the apartment he rents so he can claim the insurance money.
So, for you, I prescribe a full tea-spoon of cat food (but not the fancy stuff, you can't afford it).
19 - Harry
Well, Bush-baby has managed pretty well. He got elected to a second term. Daddy didn't.
He managed to start a bigger war than Daddy. And he's managed to build crucial alliances with major oil and other business so as to keep the home coffers filled. So now that he's bested Daddy, maybe he step back and take another look at the space photos of the world. It really isn't big enough for bullies!
20 - Eric Olsen
I am hoping the Bush of campaign rhetoric comes to the fore in a second term with no need to pander to the hard right for reelection. I'm hoping he cares about history.
21 - Hal Pawluk
I was hoping he WAS history.
Your hopes don't stand any more chance than mine did.
22 - andy marsh
no Jim...it will be my HOUSE that I set on fire...much more insurance money that way...can't I at leasteat dog food? Ireally don't like cats...and that way Icould at least share it with my dogs.
There is one thing to remember though...beings that I did all that time in the navy...there's always the old sailors home in Gulf Port, MS. they might take me in...and I think they at least serve Spam!
23 - andy marsh
and I hear they're getting HS internet!
24 - Jim Carruthers
Andy, I refer you to "Mary Provost" by Nick Lowe, she thought she was a winner, but she became a doggie's dinner.
(btw Mary Provost was a Canadian who was an early movie star, and wound up dying alone in Hollywood).
I'll note that while you may "own" a house, unless you've totally paid the mortgage, you don't own it. You have a deficit, and if you commit fraud, your insurance company will send you to prison. And invading and ransacking an apartment building across town won't solve your problems either. And I hear the Old Sailors Home is rife with buggery (what did you think the old salts meant by "ar' there he blows", and what with the "poop deck" and all, which is a 'murricanism btw).
25 - boomcrashbaby
Hal, found this link. Wasn't sure why, but I thought you might be interested.
here