> The Electoral College blues: What we get after the red states bankrupt America
9 November 2004, 17:07
Does anyone remember history? Perhaps the late 1800s and early 1900s when the political bosses were running the various elections. Does what has happened in the last two presidential races look familiar? Look a lot like those times? I think they do – much too much like those times.
And now the GOP is gleefully stating that they are preparing to keep the power that they manipulated and stole from the American people. They say they have a ‘political mandate’. How can we just sit at home and let this go on? What can those quiet American’s who don’t like being the next generation of “The Ugly American” do?
Where do we begin to make a real difference? With our Senate? Our House of Representatives? By ending the electoral college? All those are places that are very hard to actually reach, as hard as reaching common ground with each other. Why are we allowing the “Conservatives” to run this great Nation? Why are we afraid to say, “you don’t have to wear you religion on your sleeve? You are not required to bash others over the head with it”.
And why are we allowing Bush, the Republicans, and the Evangelical Conservatives to make Liberal a dirty word? Liberal is an adjective meaning given freely; open minded; not prejudiced; and a noun - a person who favors individual liberty. And that scares people? Liberals find others being conservative acceptable, but the opposite is not true – why not? Why is having an open mind frightening? Why do liberals have to fight so hard for common sense laws? For a common sense president? Why do liberals traditionally have to drag the conservative portion of our nation, the so called red states, kicking and screaming, into the next century?
Conservatives would be welcome to stay in the old century if they wish. But they won’t let those who are ready to move forward do so. They do not want anyone else to have a different opinion, nor a belief other than theirs. Why not? Trying to stomp on other people, trying to keep others from their own life is not a Christian concept. I wonder how many of those who fight to keep the status quo know that. Bush and the Republicans do – but apparently it’s their secret.
Does anyone remember history? Perhaps the late 1800s and early 1900s when the political bosses were running the various elections. Does what has happened in the last two presidential races look familiar? Look a lot like those times? I think they do – much too much like those times.
And now the GOP is gleefully stating that they are preparing to keep the power that they manipulated and stole from the American people. They say they have a ‘political mandate’. How can we just sit at home and let this go on? What can those quiet American’s who don’t like being the next generation of “The Ugly American” do?
Where do we begin to make a real difference? With our Senate? Our House of Representatives? By ending the electoral college? All those are places that are very hard to actually reach, as hard as reaching common ground with each other. Why are we allowing the “Conservatives” to run this great Nation? Why are we afraid to say, “you don’t have to wear you religion on your sleeve? You are not required to bash others over the head with it”.
And why are we allowing Bush, the Republicans, and the Evangelical Conservatives to make Liberal a dirty word? Liberal is an adjective meaning given freely; open minded; not prejudiced; and a noun - a person who favors individual liberty. And that scares people? Liberals find others being conservative acceptable, but the opposite is not true – why not? Why is having an open mind frightening? Why do liberals have to fight so hard for common sense laws? For a common sense president? Why do liberals traditionally have to drag the conservative portion of our nation, the so called red states, kicking and screaming, into the next century?
Conservatives would be welcome to stay in the old century if they wish. But they won’t let those who are ready to move forward do so. They do not want anyone else to have a different opinion, nor a belief other than theirs. Why not? Trying to stomp on other people, trying to keep others from their own life is not a Christian concept. I wonder how many of those who fight to keep the status quo know that. Bush and the Republicans do – but apparently it’s their secret.