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Evening, all.
Y'know, I've been avoiding this topic for a long time. Long time. But it's time to slay the beast. Here. Now.
And you would be wise to do so as well. Continued in the...
[Swoosh!] [Gong!]
...Extended Copy section.
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The facts:
Iraq is in the shitter. The economy is sluggish at best. Stagflation looms. The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. The tax cuts turned out to be a joke. 1.1 million jobs have been lost on Bush's watch. Most of the world is disgusted with us. The environment resembles more of an ashtray than a sanctuary. 401ks are in sorry shape. We don't feel any safer. And if you're not a fundamentalist Christian...well, God help you.
On the bright side, we (Democrats) have the African-American, gay, elderly, youth, Muslim, Jewish and women's votes locked up. More men will vote blue and fewer will vote red this time around. Our eyes are peeled for election-day fraud. The current Electoral Vote counter has Kerry up 327 to 211.
Face it. Our man, John Kerry, is poised to take this thing.
My confession
I'll admit it. I voted for Ross Perot in 1992 and 1996 because I thought Clinton was sleazy. I still think he is, although I admire him much more now for his intellect and non-adultery-related accomplishments while in office (DOMA and Don't Ask, Don't Tell notwithstanding).
I voted reluctantly for Al Gore in 2000. I thought he was clumsy and opportunistic. He didn't say or do much that impressed me. At the same time, I wasn't terribly worried about George W. Bush winning, because he sounded so centrist...uniter not a divider, states rights, multilateralism and all that. You know...all the stuff he reneged on. Still, it was excruciating to watch Gore lose in slow motion the way he did, and to see the first cogs of the GOP "f**k you" machine start to turn.
Four years of hell
My god. What have they done?
I barely recognize my country anymore. To say that the current administration is showing extreme chutzpah is an understatement. They've turned 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue into a Chuck E. Cheez where anything goes. George W. Bush and his gang are the perpetual birthday boys and whatever they wants, they gets. On our nickel. With our blood, sweat and tears if you want to get maudlin about it. And they don't care whose back they have to crawl over to get what they want.
Teresa Heinz Kerry spoke for untold millions when she asserted that 4 more years of Bush would be 4 more years of hell. Man, she nailed it. For the first time in my life, my partner and I have seriously talked about moving to Canada or Europe if Bush wins another term. Fortunately, he won't.
So...what will you do when Kerry wins?
I doubt there's a single Kossack who doesn't feel utterly exhausted by the events that have transpired over the last 4 years. (Maybe betrayed's a better word.) But now we're on the cusp of winning back the White House with a truly decent and honorable man. An intelligent man. A thoughtful man. An inclusive man. A man who has more bravery in his little finger than all the neo-cons put together.
John Kerry is going to win in November. And I fear for my heart when the networks call it.
I'm gonna go apeshit, folks. I am going to howl at the moon until my vocal chords give out. I'm going to hug everyone who comes within 50 feet of me. I'm going to pour Bacardi and Coke down my gullet `til the wee hours. And then I'll switch to gin.
And I'm going to bawl my eyes out. Fulfilling the promise Howard Dean put forth over a year ago--one that seemed so out of reach back then--we will have taken our country back with grit, smarts, honesty, and a beautifully huge number of people who understand the true meaning of democracy.
Make no mistake. This won't be like when my favorite nominee wins the Oscar. Or when Michael Moore announces he's making a new movie. Or when a blizzard gives me an unexpected day off from work. Or when I get a raise. This will be bigger by a factor of a thousand.
In short: I will not be responsible for my behavior.
And I sure hope you feel the same way.