Fear more years
Oct. 25th, 2004 10:52 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
elfsNo, no news today. If you want to look up the attempt by the Pentagon to cover up the loss of 350,000 kilos of extremely efficient chemical explosives, you can go to Google News or Reuters or whatever.
I'm just tired. Goddess, the stress level in my house is high enough these days without the election being on our minds, the constant fear that the chimp is going to win and we'll be facing... what?
Four years from now, Bush's supreme court will have overturned Roe v. Wade and affirmed Bowers v. Hardwick: abortion will be illegal, and homosexual activities inside one's own home will be felonious conduct. The inclusionary doctrine of the Bill of Rights will be overturned and state governments will be free to adopt state religions, ban speech they deem offensive, the whole litany. Meanwhile, within the federal government, fiscal policy will be made in secret by corporations and social policy will pander to a concrete religious base that maintains intolerance *is* a holy tenant.
Of course, with Kerry, the whole DRM thing will continue, and there's no promise that student's right to use the GPL, which the Democratic Senator from Microsoft has tried to ban before, will survive four years with either party. His health care plan scares the gizzard outta me.
I'm a big believer in mixed government. Kerry is only up on Bush by 4% in Washington as of the latest polling rounds, which sucks because if it had been bigger I'd've voted for Badnarik. Omaha wants to discourage me from voting for Badnarik anyway because she's dismayed by the platform entry that states he'd bring the troops home immediately; well, that's a consequences of principles and principle number one is that the United States government has no business getting involved in foreign adventures that are not explicitly defensive. And I doubt things in Iraq could get "much worse" than they are now.
But I guess I'm voting for Kerry. I'm going to vote for a Democrat (and wash my hands afterward) because, well, malevolence, malfeasance, incompetence, and a disconnection from reality have been the hallmarks of the current administration.
Jim Hightower once commented that "If the Gods had wanted us to vote they would have given us candidates." Well, the Gods gave us something worse: an anti-candidate, compared to whom anything else on offer is preferable.
I'm just tired. Goddess, the stress level in my house is high enough these days without the election being on our minds, the constant fear that the chimp is going to win and we'll be facing... what?
Four years from now, Bush's supreme court will have overturned Roe v. Wade and affirmed Bowers v. Hardwick: abortion will be illegal, and homosexual activities inside one's own home will be felonious conduct. The inclusionary doctrine of the Bill of Rights will be overturned and state governments will be free to adopt state religions, ban speech they deem offensive, the whole litany. Meanwhile, within the federal government, fiscal policy will be made in secret by corporations and social policy will pander to a concrete religious base that maintains intolerance *is* a holy tenant.
Of course, with Kerry, the whole DRM thing will continue, and there's no promise that student's right to use the GPL, which the Democratic Senator from Microsoft has tried to ban before, will survive four years with either party. His health care plan scares the gizzard outta me.
I'm a big believer in mixed government. Kerry is only up on Bush by 4% in Washington as of the latest polling rounds, which sucks because if it had been bigger I'd've voted for Badnarik. Omaha wants to discourage me from voting for Badnarik anyway because she's dismayed by the platform entry that states he'd bring the troops home immediately; well, that's a consequences of principles and principle number one is that the United States government has no business getting involved in foreign adventures that are not explicitly defensive. And I doubt things in Iraq could get "much worse" than they are now.
But I guess I'm voting for Kerry. I'm going to vote for a Democrat (and wash my hands afterward) because, well, malevolence, malfeasance, incompetence, and a disconnection from reality have been the hallmarks of the current administration.
Jim Hightower once commented that "If the Gods had wanted us to vote they would have given us candidates." Well, the Gods gave us something worse: an anti-candidate, compared to whom anything else on offer is preferable.
Congratulations!
Date: 2004-10-25 11:52 am (UTC)Re: Congratulations!
Date: 2004-10-25 12:08 pm (UTC)As for defending my civil rights... One of the primary reasons our founding folk said we should keep our arms is to defend against tyranny in our own government.
This fact is not lost on me.
Be well
Re: Congratulations!
Date: 2004-10-25 12:23 pm (UTC)And despite the continuing insurgency in Iraq, I am not sure that our right to bear arms will really allow us to defend against tyranny. Not unless a private citizen can own surface-to-air missiles and a private air force of modern military craft.
Re: Congratulations!
Date: 2004-10-25 12:57 pm (UTC)And to the Afghans.
They were both outgunned, as well. And the US and former Soviet military establishments still fear a similar situation...
Then again, look at Iraq. No Planes. No Tanks. I would hope, however, that American Patriots with their backs against the wall would not be dastardly and evil - but just as tenacious and motivated.
I also have my doubts that the majority of our military is brainwashed enough (yet) to put up with directives that extremely violate civil liberties for any length of time. After all, we are citizens, too, and we have friends and family who are not in the military/government (and even some who are), and are gay/bi/lesbian, smoke pot, practice non-monogamy, BDSM, like to wear spandex, eat french food, etc.
I certainly hope I am not in the minority. Everyone wearing a uniform of the US armed forces has taken an oath to defend and protect the Republic and the Constitution - to include the Bill of Rights. Between you and me, I try to keep them aware of that.
Either way, I think it's healthy to vote one's conscience, and I think it's a Good Idea(tm) to start weaning the US from the 2-moron system for elections, and getting the media to accept 'third party' folks as more than quaint idealists -- and incorporate them openly in the big debates, etc.
And, honestly, I don't see how Kerry will be any better than Bush, overall.
Would you like green diarrhea or yellow diarrhea for lunch today? Either way, I'm not sure I'm interested in eating.
--
"Not Everyone shares your beliefs."
"My beliefs do not require them to."
It is wrong to expect a reward for your struggles. The
reward is the act of struggle itself, not what you win.
Even though you can't expect to defeat the absurdity
of the world, you must make that attempt.
That's morality, that's religion. That's art. That's life.
~ Phil Ochs
2 roads
Date: 2004-10-25 01:12 pm (UTC)To finish, everyone knows the future is at stake and they know what they want. Problem is all the conservatives/republicans are united and the liberals/democrats/independents (me too) are divided. We need to stand together. This time there really is only two roads, no third less traveled one this time.
Re: Congratulations!
Date: 2004-10-25 01:15 pm (UTC)I think the way to do this is through "grass roots" campaigns. Get more Greens, Libertarians, etc. elected to local governments - mayors, state representatives/senators, governors - and then move on to national government.
And, honestly, I don't see how Kerry will be any better than Bush, overall.
Because Kerry isn't a religious fundamentalist? Because he believes in living in a global society? Because Kerry cares about the environment and civil rights?
How can you believe that? Are you going to talk about free trade and corporate interests?