I have some fond memories of the election last Tuesday. The last one that comes to mind, thus the one I have to write about first is of the news report (NBC local @ JK’s local HQ, I think) relating the tragedy as it has recently occurred while two guys are making out good’n heavy in the background with some sly salsa dancing. Slowly the camera panned left until the reporter was at the far right of the picture, and then she sidestepped to the center.

via Blue Oregon, a nice little rant responding to the usual conservative hoo-haw. PG-13, but work friendly bee-yatch!

all this poker and medication spam makes me yearn for the days of pr0n and MMF garbage

I no longer believe that Bush won the election fair and square. That’s a bad thing. I thought that there would be problems, and wondered why the heck the conservatives were fighting so hard to _not_ have printed receipts from the electronic voting machines. Well, here we are. There have been numerous accounts of more votes than voters in Florida and Ohio. Here’s the latest. If it turns out that there’s nothing we can do, or if Bush won anyway, we at least have to make sure that there is a paper trail for every vote cast.

This is from an email conversation I’m having with a buddy of mine. His side is very interesting as well, but I haven’t asked him for permission to post. So this is just me. We’re chatting about what the left needs to do in order to overcome the religious right juggernaut in the future. My thing about the religious right is that it is a self-perpetuating system. Like a whirlpool, it may not have a large impact quickly, but once ensconced, few escape.

As opposed as I was to so many of prezzo’s actions over the last four years, I feel that the best way to come through the disappointment of the election is to pull out a clean. Not a pessimistic slate. And not totally clean, but to treat this like a new day. Bush’s words make him sound like he’s going to try, but they have before. Perhaps he’s embracing the ‘centrist’ as I’ve heard it said on the strong right talk shows: religious right.

It’s over. And not much good came out of it. W won the presidency, apparently fair and square. That’s what the people wanted, I guess. So now begins the great experiment. Four years of the same group with significantly less opposition, probably 1-2 supreme court nomination (maybe more….shiver). He now has the popular vote and the electoral vote, so he doesn’t feel obligated to play the middle like he did so well over the last four years, and his career politicking is done, all he is concerned with for next election is getting his brother in there.

Amazing. As far as I can tell this is the most anticipated voting day for generations. Many generations. So many people have put in so much effort to help the Good Guys win (and I hope they do). MoveOn, Dean for America, bloggers, and more have really built the grass roots effort. The volunteers helping people get to the polls, making calls, knocking on doors, it’s been truly amazing and heartening.

Bad idea, good story. However, if that’s what you _have_ to do in order to show up, go ahead, just don’t screw it up. Have a fab Halloween.