coupland's Journal: US Election

Well, I didn't want to put anything in writing while I was still hopeful that Bush may not win another four years, but now that it seems at least fairly likely I will put my opinion to paper. Or, electrons....

I went into this election with a bittersweet taste in my mouth. I knew that either Bush would be upset and the world would be a bit safer for four more years, or that Bush would win and the fall of the American Empire would be dramatically hastened.

Now, when I use the phrase "American Empire" I don't use it in the traditional sense of "evil American imperialism." I find that very passe. I use it in the sense of a government that is ruled by an omnipotent emperor where right of rule is hereditary. Somehow America has passed the age where they value democratic rule, and are instead looking for a king to rule them. Not unlike Ancient Rome after the rule of Caesar Augustus, but actually identically-so. If you hate to learn from history, please stop reading.

Anyways, Bush has a huge lead at this point. His moronic bumbling, war-mongering, and anti-islamic genocidal policies will be with us another 4 years. One-hundred thousand Iraqis have already died while we "freed" them. Let's stop calling it Iraqi Freedom and call it what it is: Eternal Freedom. If you're an Iraqi we promise to give you an eternity of freedom. When does invading a sovereign state to "free" them become genocide? Does a hundred-thousand deaths count? Surely if you asked them they've had enough "freedom" for one generation. Please call off the bombers.

And yet the downward spiral will continue. International relations will continue to decline. The deficit will balloon out of control. Defense spending will rise unabated and the trade deficit will widen. Blacks will suffer, Hispanics will suffer, everyone but the rich will suffer. The Nazis have taken control and they have done so by popular vote. There is nothing left for us to do.

China, EU, we look to you now for salvation. The fall of a superpower takes decades or centuries, but I want to live to see who ascends in the place of America.

This sucks

[FuzzyBad-Mofo]

The rich have proven their influence over the poorly educated, fearful, and superstitious citizens of this country. Granted, it's hard to beat an incumbent president in wartime, even when the war is a direct result of that president's policy. But I expected more from the victims of Bush's foreign and domestic policy.

Re:This sucks

[Beautyon]

THERE IS NO WAR. Stop repeating that lie, every time you do it, it spreads lies, and that is part of what made this electoral catastrophe possible.

Re:This sucks

[FuzzyBad-Mofo]

I guess that means my friends and relatives who got called up from national reserve were lying about going to Iraq then. It may not be a just military action, but denying it's existence won't make it go away.

Re:This sucks

[Beautyon]

Dont be facetious. There is no "war on terror" and what is happening in Iraq is not a war, never was a war and probably wont escalate into one. There was no "war on drugs" either, or do you believe that bunch of hogwash too?

Re:This sucks

[coupland]

Dunno Beautyon. I agree that a "war on terror" or a "war on drugs" is just political doublespeak, but how was Iraq not a war at the height of operations? UN estimates put it at 100,000 Iraqis dead, and we know over 1,100 US soldiers are dead. What are your criteria? I suppose Congress didn't pass a declaration of war, but I think you're defining your criteria too narrowly if that's what you're using.

Re:This sucks

[Beautyon]

War is being too looseley defined by americans. When a country is at war, the nations patriotism, survival instinct, collective morality and support for the president are all invoked so that victory against an enemy can be acieheved. When a country, any country, is at war, all bets are off because the very existence of the country itself is on the line.

To say that you are at war, to use the word war, means that you can rightfully expect your countrymen to die for the cause, you can justify killing the sold