Election Countdown

[Haggis McBagpipe]

Re: RE: Election Countdown

It's from this RATM song. What do I think can be done? Shock and awe. We have to remain as visible as possible, and that's not going to be easy with the media making us disappear. Images are far more powerful than words, especially with these kinds of people. So we use images to get our point across. Pictures of all the slums, all the dead people, of draft-dodgers and protests. This is just about all that got us out of Vietnam, is the images from the front line. Remember that sort of cliche about people hearing death reports while they're eating dinner? I wasn't alive then so I have to believe that this was the case. We must find some kind of way to make this happen again. We have to become WEARY, and SICK and fighting. Bring the price of these wars HOME, and then people will be forced to think again. But that's nearly impossible, with our media system the way it is. I remember going up to Canada, and I read things in your news that were damaging to the Bush Admin, that just NEVER EVER show up in our press. If it's damaging to Bush, chances are it will not be reported on the channels that 90 percent plus people get their news, this is how we've gotten were we are today. It's practically pravda.

I like the way you think. You are well-informed, and I'll say this: I feel a whole lot more confident about the future of the US after reading your posts today, because although it looks to be an impossible battle, it is anything but with people like you. You understand what and who is the enemy, that's half the battle because through understanding comes solutions.

A whopping fifty percent of the people down there are like you, and they a) know it is going to be a nasty uphill battle, and b) give a damn enough to do it anyway.

 

[HousesOfApollo]

Actually it's actually less than 25% of us, the other 50% didn't vote at all. We have to fight brainwashing, which is next to impossible, then apathy, which wont be too hard when that draft comes around. Our only hope, lies in stirring all those people who just don't give a s-h-i-t. If they had voted now we would be far better off, and if they had voted in 2000 so many more people would be alive, and better off today. But should haves and could haves never made any haves. We've got to do it, and we've got to be able to get it out there when people's rights are being steamrolled. 8 million voters will be dead next time around, and that's mostly the older population. So we must rush in to replace them with young, passionate voters, and we'll need a candidate for them; we need Howard Dean. But before any of that we MUST DESTROY THE VOTING MACHINES. This election was stolen, look at exit polls around the country, and then the exit polls in Florida and Ohio. You see that they are accurate EVERYWHERE except for--you guessed it--Florida and Ohio. The results are ALWAYS higher for Bush than for kerry compared with the exit polls, and this is not errors in the polling, those are all across the board. All of our votes here are counted by four corporations, all of whom support the Republican party and George Bush immensely. There is no paper trail, and there is no democracy. The CEO of diebold wrote a letter to Bush, promising to deliver Ohio to him. We didn't stand a chance.

 

[Haggis McBagpipe]

Damn, Apollo, this is some harsh stuff on which to go to bed. I am going to have nightmares tonight, I suspect. I did on election night, and they will return. You paint a bleak picture, and you have also given me a lot of previously unknown (to me) information. Thank you for that information, thank you for reminding me about the smart Americans, and good night!

 

[HousesOfApollo]

Good night. I'm just trying to explain to our friends, yes friends , what exactly what went down. I like Canadians, most of them I know tend to think more like me. Not essentially the same, but using the same sort of processes that I use. Yes, goodnight indeed .

 

[Andem]

Re: RE: Election Countdown

Good night. I'm just trying to explain to our friends, yes friends , what exactly what went down. I like Canadians, most of them I know tend to think more like me. Not essentially the same, but using the same sort of processes that I use. Yes, goodnight indeed .

Ah, we're all humans. Canadians dont think one way and Americans dont think one way. We're all just brought up differently. Canadians are used to different standards than Americans. If you wanna move up here and join us, come right in

 

[HousesOfApollo]

Oh yea, Americans definitely think differently. At least on the whole. Religious fanatics are far different from reasonable, secular thinkers (and by secular I don't mean atheist, just not thinking about everything in religious terms.) Americans are a far more fearful people I think, we definitely seem to be more hateful. And there's two Americas, and very deep divisions between us. After this election it has grown even deeper. If there was a geographical division to go along with our deep philosophical division, we would be having a civil war all over again.

 

[Rick van Opbergen]

One day, ONE day, did I not post ... and look at that: I have to work myself through four pages of discussions ... I give up.

 

[Rick van Opbergen]

Oh and welcome to canadiancontent.net HousesOfApollo

 

[Haggis McBagpipe]

Re: RE: Election Countdown

Oh yea, Americans definitely think differently. At least on the whole. Religious fanatics are far different from reasonable, secular thinkers (and by secular I don't mean atheist, just not thinking about everything in religious terms.) Americans are a far more fearful people I think, we definitely seem to be more hateful. And there's two Americas, and very deep divisions between us. After this election it has grown even deeper.

This is what we have felt for some time. My husband was American, he is now a dual citizen here. He would surrender his American citizenship in a heartbeat except that hanging on to it means he gets to vote against stupidity every four years. That's worth a lot, it is worth a lot more than making a statement by surrendering that right.

Everything you said yesterday makes sense, Apollo. Your views of what has happened, what is happening and what the left can do to stop it (or try) are all solid, from what I can see. You will sure have to be strong, though, no doubt about it.

 

[HousesOfApollo]

I haven't even gotten out of the house in three days. I can't look these people in the eyes, it'll drive me nuts. I know the kind of people who voted for Bush, and they have the same kind of mindset of the Taliban people. We have our own, down-home all-American apple pie Taliban in power right now. But actually it's more like a cross between a fascist corporate state, and a Taliban-like theocracy.

Oh man, I think the left needs to represent itself as much as possible. Especially to other countries, because we're not despised like we are at home. Oh and thanks for the welcome, this is a cool site. I don't have to put up with stupid Americans. But just remember as far back as you can, and think about the few good things there were about America. Thats what we represent, the last stand of the good. That sounds pretty dramatic, but it's the truth.

 

[Haggis McBagpipe]

Re: RE: Election Countdown

just remember as far back as you can, and think about the few good things there were about America. Thats what we represent, the last stand of the good. That sounds pretty dramatic, but it's the truth.

Well, the times themselves are dramatic, and the truth is, you're right about the things you say. It is a heavy responsibility on your shoulders, and it isn't going to be easy being the minority in a country full of whackos. Can it be done? Sure. You've read about the McCarthy era. Your country got past that, no reason to think they won't get past this.

This forum is good for you, sure, but it is very good for us, too, because we get to hear from the 'other' Americans.

 

[HousesOfApollo]

Dare I say the only Americans. The only people left who remember what it's supposed to mean. Yes I know about the McCarthy era, and I've also read 1984. And every day I see American becoming more and more like Oceania. They're using the 'War on Terror' as their perpetual never-ending war; because that's the only thing that allows them to exist. I've even seen doublethink, and I'm sure will see thoughtcrimes as well. That was the cultish behavior I was talking about earlier. They just throw out anything that doesn't fit in with their world view. Fox News has become the Telescreen in the propaganda sense, and the PATRIOT act has become the Telescreen in the surveillance sense; it's not watching everybody all of the time, but everyone acts like it is, because they just don't know. We Bush was running for president, you couldn't get into one of his rallies without signing an oath of allegiance. But I can't really say half the country is nuts, because this election was stolen from us. Go to http://www.dailykos.com/ and scroll down, all the information is there and there's not a doubt in my mind that it was stolen. The exit polls all favored Kerry in areas where they had DIEBOLD machines, but the final results ALWAYS favored Bush; that is not errors in the polling, those would be all over the place. Everywhere else, the paper ballot areas, the polls were accurate within .5% like they're supposed to be.

 

[pay]

Hi y'all,

In my first Canadian Content post , I just want to pass on a little consolation from Michael Moore who, along with the 48%-49% of the US electorate that is not butt-ignorant, religious fanatics or part of the North American Right Wing Echo Chamber (TM), may be feeling a little blue (pun intended) these days :

Here are some of Michael Moore's "17 Reasons Not to Slit Your Wrists"

Dear Friends,

Ok, it sucks. Really sucks. But before you go and cash it all in, let's, in the words of Monty Python, “always look on the bright side of life!” There IS some good news from Tuesday's election.

Here are [8 of] 17 reasons not to slit your wrists:


3. The only age group in which the majority voted for Kerry was young adults (Kerry: 54%, Bush: 44%), proving once again that your parents are always wrong and you should never listen to them.

4. In spite of Bush's win, the majority of Americans still think the country is headed in the wrong direction (56%), think the war wasn't worth fighting (51%), and don’t approve of the job George W. Bush is doing (52%). (Note to foreigners: Don't try to figure this one out. It's an American thing, like Pop Tarts.)

6. Michigan voted for Kerry! So did the entire Northeast, the birthplace of our democracy. So did 6 of the 8 Great Lakes States. And the whole West Coast! Plus Hawaii. Ok, that's a start. We've got most of the fresh water, all of Broadway, and Mt. St. Helens. We can dehydrate them or bury them in lava. And no more show tunes!


8. 88% of Bush's support came from white voters. In 50 years, America will no longer have a white majority. Hey, 50 years isn't such a long time! If you're ten years old and reading this, your golden years will be truly golden and you will be well cared for in your old age.

11. The CEO of Coors was defeated for Senate in Colorado. Drink up!

12. Admit it: We like the Bush twins and we don't want them to go away.

15. Should Bush decide to show up to work and take this country down a very dark road, it is also just as likely that either of the following two scenarios will happen: a) Now that he doesn't ever need to pander to the Christian conservatives again to get elected, someone may whisper in his ear that he should spend these last four years building "a legacy" so that history will render a kinder verdict on him and thus he will not push for too aggressive a right-wing agenda; or b) He will become so cocky and arrogant -- and thus, reckless -- that he will commit a blunder of such major proportions that even his own party will have to remove him from office.

17. Finally and most importantly, over 55 million Americans voted for the candidate dubbed "The #1 Liberal in the Senate." That's more than the total number of voters who voted for either Reagan, Bush I, Clinton or Gore. Again, more people voted for Kerry than Reagan. If the media are looking for a trend it should be this -- that so many Americans were, for the first time since Kennedy, willing to vote for an out-and-out liberal. The country has always been filled with evangelicals -- that is not news. What IS news is that so many people have shifted toward a Massachusetts liberal. In fact, that's BIG news. Which means, don't expect the mainstream media, the ones who brought you the Iraq War, to ever report the real truth about November 2, 2004. In fact, it's better that they don't. We'll need the element of surprise in 2008.

Feeling better? I hope so. As my friend Mort wrote me yesterday, "My Romanian grandfather used to say to me, 'Remember, Morton, this is such a wonderful country -- it doesn't even need a president!'"

But it needs us. Rest up, I'll write you again tomorrow.

Yours,

Michael Moore
[email]MMFlint@aol.com[/email]
[url]www.michaelmoore.com
[/url]

#18: I am Canadian !

 

[Reverend Blair]

I got that in my mail box this morning and laughed my ass off. It's just what I needed at 5:00 a.m.

 

[HousesOfApollo]

Welcome. It wont be long until you have as many posts as I do now. These forums are so addictive, it's weird. I'm rapidly becoming of those people who just sit around all day on the internet. Yes, you're lucky to be Canadian. But you still have a responsibility to try and make the 'Other' Americans MISERABLE. Let Americans know how much you hate them for what they've done, but find out what kind they are first. When I'm in Canada I'm OK, when I hear people bashing the US and its president I usually join right in . Also try to boycott as many American companies as possible. And fight for legislation to assist draft-dodgers like you did in the 60's.

 

[pay]

Thanks for the welcome, HOA. I do know how addictive these forums can be, so you'll find me to be a sporadic, if faithful contributor. The title of this thread is way outta date and mildly depressing, so I'll pop my head up somewhere else 8) .

 

[HousesOfApollo]

It's the countdown to the 2006 and 2008 elections , that's what helps me get over the depressing title...

 

[Rick van Opbergen]

Yeah.... who do you think will win in 2008? 8)

 

[HousesOfApollo]

DEAN!!!!

 

[Rick van Opbergen]

You're not running for the presidency?