Surprised, Are We?

Dear Editor,
Why are you surprised that Bush won? Because Republicans love big business, big government, big defense contractors and big oil? Because they destroy our Constitution with immoral war and their Patriot Act? Because they wilfully destroy the environment by refusing to enforce our laws or fund alternative energy research? Because they revel in globalization? Because they’ll put another Nazi on the Supreme Court?Oh, wait a minute, is it the Republicans I’m thinking of or is it the Democrats? It’s been difficult to tell them apart for some time, hasn’t it? Unilateral support for NAFTA and GATT. The completely illegal occupation of Iraq. The bi-partisan passing of the Patriot Act. A total lack of national health care, no federal living wage, Herr Scalia’s unanimous approval to sit on our highest court. I have no idea which one of these issues, fully supported by both major corporations (oops, I meant “parties”), might have allowed you, personally, to see the truth, but they’re all good examples.John Kerry lost because he didn’t run as a real Democrat, he ran as a fake Republican. His senate record shows him to be little more than a corporate puppet and not, as Bush would have us believe, “slightly left of Ted Kennedy”. Kerry has done almost nothing for working people in his entire life. Check his record. Truman once said, “Run a fake Republican against a real Republican. The real Republican wins every time!”Many people didn’t vote for Bush at the polls, they voted against Kerry; someone they did not trust. What drove this rich man from his mansion and what is he hiding from us, they asked? The “moral” agenda offered by Bush mattered because it was the only agenda offered at all. Kerry, the professional politician, didn’t really stand for anything. People sensed this and voted accordingly.Having worked closely with Greens and Nader-supporters of many stripes over the past two years, I can only say, when I left the voting booth, I was fully aware that my vote was cast for a deserving human being, one with intelligence, sincerity, grit, vision and a sense of humor. It felt great! I voted for all the things I actually believe in, not against some perceived or manufactured evil. Did you? It’s a uniquely American feeling. You should try it out next time around!