Fine, okay, it's a blog already!

For any Republicans who actually still read this (and a shout out to you temporarily converted Democrats who don't have a GOP candidate you can believe in and are voting for Kerry this time around), I've been asking for quite awhile and still haven't received any reasons why you would actually vote for Bush. So...I'm gonna address in broad strokes why you shouldn't.

So, you voted for the Shrub because you wanted to restore some form of "dignity" to the White House. Seeing as your top dogs were more worried about what goes on in people's personal lives (big omen there by the way) than on what was best for the country, you went and voted for a drunk and former coke addict who had previously failed at most things he had ever tried. Good call. From there he proceeded to ignore any efforts at improving race relations, pissed off Russia and China, worked to undermine women, and prepared to give away our economic surplus to people who traditionally don't need the extra cash (and don't give me any of that repackaged Trickle Down theory crap because I still don't see those jobs being created).

Then we got attacked by psychos who had a strange and horrific bent view of the world because they had twisted the views of their chosen religion to something dark and menacing. But on to Al-Qaeda. We went into Afghanistan with the world behind us all the way, even the Cubans, Russians, Chinese, French, and Libya. We could do no wrong. Until of course, Bush began to unravel everything by focusing on Iraq. If you still believe Saddam was behind 9-11, had ties to Al-Qaeda, had WMDs, was an "imminent threat" to the US, and was the Easter Bunny, you are absolutely WRONG. Do you get it?

Anyway, while ruining the country's good name abroad, Bush reluctantly created the Department of Homeland Security which he immediately twisted. Instead of finding ways to protect the country from external threats, we began to have our rights taken away in airports, libraries, doctor's offices. If you think having your government treat you like a terrorist makes you safer, you are - once again - WRONG. And let's not even get me started on the PATRIOT Act which helps make all this possible.

So, we have antagonized the planet because Bush and his advisors basically lied to everyone. We have troops dead because of those lies and the man has the gall to say he respects the military (and hell, he at least put on the uniform, unlike his many advisors; then of course, he threw it off early to go to Harvard). Our environment is worse, civil rights are disappearing, jobs have vaporized like they have not since the Great Depression, government spending is out of control, unfunded mandates are spewing out of D.C. like a broken faucet, and your government is trying to scare you into rewarding such behavior by saying Kerry couldn't do as good a job as they can.

Are you frigging serious? I've seen Pokemon plushies that could run this country better. I refuse to justify some rampant hateful behavior by likely racists, sexists, wimps, thugs and zealots. You should to. Go get a actual Republican candidate and try again next time if you can't vote for Kerry. Sit this one out if you must. Anyway, that's my take on things. On to news stories.

Congrats to the Boston Red Sox for winning the World Series and making the smug St. Louis Cardinals look like chumps. There are, supposedly, advantages to Kerry for having Boston, and Massachusetts by extension, being mentioned in other circles. Especially with Bush bashing Massachusetts so often. Too bad Curt Schilling had to take a decade of respect I had for him, ball it up and throw it away with his mad rush to endorse Bush out of the blue on Good Morning America. For a guy who so meticulously studies the game of baseball to make this life decision, I really have to wonder what brought him to this point. Would make, if nothing else, an interesting read I think.

What else? Oh yeah, Republicans are trying to prove voter fraud goes both ways (and hell, maybe it does, but the GOP run it straight from the party offices). Then there's
this racially motivated effort to remove voters from the rolls. You'll have to read between the lines, but I imagine it's pretty cut and dried that's its a GOP stunt.

Congratulations George, you've helped kill 100,000 people you (now) say we went into Iraq to give freedom to. And you wonder why they're so pissed at us. Speaking of Iraq and political hi-jinx, a just returned soldier planning to vote for Bush went to a rally and, after seeing what Bush campaign workers do to people, changed his mind to vote for Kerry.

Doom and gloom forecasted for next Tuesday, and why the Supreme Court might actually sit this one out like they should have last time. Somehow, people doubt the election will be clean. Maybe thanks to Bush's deceit and scare tactics? More on early voting and on Florida "irregularities," like say, missing ballots? Also, a story on the phenomenon of vote pairing you may wish to read.

Other stuff. Jimmy Carter rips Bush for pimping 9-11 to his own sick needs and comments on other subjects. The recession widened the racial income gap (big surprise). Liberal Catholics for Kerry. Bush relatives for Kerry. Bush as a bad Christian role model. The GOP against student vote campaigns ("Don't bother learning the democratic process kids; we're two elections from getting rid of it" - Ed Gillespie, okay, I made that up). Why aren't we ripping on Bush for Ashcroft's anti-Americanism? Voting for the French vs the Saudis. Wait? Who is the family values candidate? And 2004 scariest Halloween costumes.