An old friend of mine voted for Bush. She is a republican and was undecided for a while but ultimately went with W. She hasn't told me this, she is smart enough to not do that, but I know she voted for him, and I know her reasons were that she just wasn't sure she could trust John Kerry, and that she was worried it would take a new administration too long to get up to speed and run the war in Iraq and that she didn't really believe that they would be able to overturn Roe v. Wade, or do anything else all that bad. She's Catholic, we wore kits together in grade school, but pro-choice and socially liberal.
Yesterday she emailed me asking me if I had recovered from the election yet and I am wondering if it is cruel or unkind of me to write back to her, pretending I don't know who she voted for, and say the following:
I haven't, and probably won't get over this election. I can't understand how anyone could have voted for this man. It is unbelievable to me that 51% of Americans are just flat out bad people. Harsh, I know, but I am a good Catholic (ok, not really) and know that people are to be judged on their actions, not just their faith, and not one their intentions. And the actions that will be taken as a result of a vote for this President have been and will be inarguably bad.
I have heard people say, "I didn't know that," when I tell them something horrible this administration has done, but America is a democracy and based on the idea of responsible citizenship, so as a citizen and voter it is a persons responsibility to know what is going on or just stay the fuck home.
I have heard people say, "Well you know I just wasn't convinced I could trust John Kerry." Cause you know it is hard to decide whether to trust a geeky former alter boy whose ex wife even says is a wonderful person and has dedicated his entire life, including risking his life, in service of his country. Especially when the alternative is a semi retarded, draft dodging, dry drunk and drug addict who has never sought any kind of professional treatment for his sickness (ask any shrink, folks like that are dangerous) whose only consistancy in office has been to lie and misrepresent to the American people. A man wanted to get in to politics because of some kind of Oedipal complex and "won" the presidency in the first place by making sure that all of the votes were not counted and the will of the majority was not heard. A man who thinks that all who do not subscribe to his back asswards version of Christianity are going to Hell, including Christians who are not "reborn", for whom one birth was enough (like Mother Theresa, for instance), not to mention non-Christians (well, at least Ghandi is keeping Teresa company). THAT is the guy we can trust, how could there be any doubt?
But the worst thing that people say is, "I just don't believe that Bush and Co. will really do anything all that bad." Cause they don't have a track record of that or anything. In the next 4 years they will sure as shit will do everything that we were warned about. And any adult person would have to be willfully naive to think they won't.
And let's just think about some of the things that people thought Republicans might do.
They will purge the CIA of people who don't share the administrations world view, because god forbid they be presented information gathered by looking at a situation from every angle, instead of false "proof" of ridiculous theories that fit their ideology. Cause, you know, that will keep us safe. oh wait, they don't need to do that, they did that this week.
They'll install a man who believes that the Geneva Convention is "quaint" and "obsolete" as the chief law enforcement officer in the USA, cause it would be good to have a guy who thinks torture is just another interrogation technique in charge of that. And this guy will also have a track record of presenting his boss incomplete information, to the point where he will have been called "woefully negligent", in meetings set up to discuss clemency for death row inmates while George W was Governor of Texas. Cause it is really ok to execute 155 people in 5 years, especially without considering any evidence of mitigating circumstances, like mental retardation, or evidence of actual innocence. Oh, no wait, they already nominated Gonzales as Attorney General!
They will get rid of the one prominent moderate in the administration and replace Colin Powell with a fiercely loyal ideologue with no diplomatic experience and a history of utter professional incompetence. Oh wait, Condi Rice got a new job, she so loyal she thinks W is her husband, and George Tenent called her utterly incompetent. It takes one to know one.
They will blackmail, push, and harass moderate pro-choice Senate Republicans into falling in line on judicial nominees who will over turn Roe v. Wade. Oh wait, Arlen Spector might know something about that happening since the election.
Then they will try and change Senate rules so there is no more filibuster and the Democrats can do shit all stop the impending onslaught on a woman's right to choose or civil liberties. That's not done yet, but they have agreed to try, bring on Patriot Act 2!
They'll select a doctor to head the FDA's Reproductive Health Drugs Advisory Committee, a committee that will help make decisions about drugs that are used in obstetrics, gynecology, contraception, hormone therapy and lots of other girly things. This doctor will have written numerous books and articles laying out his views of women and their reproductive health. Namely that he is staunchly pro-life, believes that taking the Pill is the same as having an abortion, and that he doesn't't believe that contraceptives of any kind should be given to unmarried women. He will also have expressed the belief that PMS and menopausal symptoms are all in women's heads and that those who suffer should seek help from the Bible to heal their addled minds. Oh wait, they took care of that last week! Calling Dr. Hager!
They will pass laws that are blatantly homophobic. oh, that is done, but I'm sure there is still more to do.
They will change their own rules in the House so that a person who is indicted of a felony will still be able to serve in leadership positions, cause they would hate to lose Majority leader Tom Delay when if is indicted in coming weeks. And because they so much believe that a person is innocent until proven guilty, unless that person is of middle eastern descent, or looks like a terrorist, then he/she can be held without charge or counsel indefinitely, their new Attorney General said so. no, wait, done.
They will continue to run the war in Iraq in a way that is increasingly bloody, increasingly violent, and makes it increasingly unlikely that we will be able to get out of there without our tails between our legs. Think photos of the thousands of bloody mangled corpses lining the streets of Falluja and the video of a soldier shooting and killing a wounded unarmed man as he lay dying took care of that one.
The dollar will crash, oil prices will rise, and inflation will occur (not on anything important or that people need though, just energy costs and food) even as job growth doesn't keep pace with population growth. Whew, that's done too!
Wow, look what they accomplished in just the first two weeks after the election! I can't imagine what they can get done in the next four years!! Especially because they have such high quality people working on all this with such high moral standards. They believe in a lively debate where all sides are presented, comprimeses are made and a moderate, well considered course is taken. Oh, no wait that was the other guys.
Sorry to go on so long, I'm done ranting, but like i said, I am not likely to get over this any time soon. I am mad as hell, and will just have to stay tht way.