I'm very used to having the American people disappoint the shit out of me.

[BurtWorm]

I'm sorry, but election day has too often in my life been one of intense frustration over the profound idiocy of the American people. I'm in an angry mood. It's coming back to me that in 2002, I was misled into believing that an unusually large turnout for a mid-election was allegedly good news for Democrats. I think we all remember how bad the news was that day.

Not intending to rain on anyone's parade, but elegies seem premature. We may be finding out that eulogies are more in order.

[molly]

1. Did you vote yet?

[BurtWorm]

3. Not yet.

You think that will help? :eyes:

The American people are going to have to earn back my trust. The American system is going to have to earn back my trust.

[molly]

12. Look - most of us have hope in our hearts - so if you

want to be negative that's your business, but we don't need to hear about it today. OK?

[jpgray]

13. Your strategy of changing things by not doing anything has some flaws

How exactly do you expect it to work? Or do you not want to change anything?

edit: Sorry, that sounds pretty snarky. I'd say the flaw with your premise is when you contend that the American people have to wake up or somehow meet a standard you have set before you will work in the system. The GOP had to labor nonstop for thirty years to get something resembling a solid power structure in Washington. People are the same everywhere, but Americans have been subject to years and years of elaborately funded and widely circulated propaganda. The answer to this, in my view, isn't to sit around and hope that Americans get tired of the same old BS, but rather try to expose and turn back the BS before it causes a national disaster.

[BurtWorm]

20. Did I say I was not going to vote?

I voted in every other election that disappointed the shit out of me. I intend to vote in this one as well.

[jpgray]

24. Sorry--your post #3 certainly sounded that way.

I apologize if I misunderstood. At any rate, as I said above in my edit, there are many powerful interests who are working non-stop on Americans to produce an effect. The glorification and obligatory political enslavement of the military, the disguising of corporate graft in joe-sixpack friendly rhetoric (tort reform, Rx drug plan, Medicare/SS reform, &c), the consolidation of the media, the detaining, harrassment and ridicule of leftist leaders--this all has taken billions of dollars and thirty years of work to enact. The American people didn't "fall asleep" by themselves, and I don't think we can just wait for them to "wake up" by themselves. I think it is a very condescending attitude to claim that this is the fault of all Americans, when it is chiefly the fault of a very few who have blasted effective propaganda. Most Americans feel they are doing the right thing when they vote for Bush. They are to blame in part, but I think more blame has to go to those who have pulled off this magic trick.

[BurtWorm]

38. It's hard to feel sorry for people who allow themselves to be fooled.

:shrug:

[juslikagrzly]

47. If you haven't voted yet, why the avatar?

[BurtWorm]

48. Because I just voted.

And my pessimism hasn't magically dissolved.

[DemNoir]

2. Hang your head in shame for posting that at this moment

How can you live with yourself?

[GreenPartyVoter]

5. Burt knows what kind of scams the GOP runs. Max Cleland shoulda won

-------------------------------------------------
Would Jesus love a liberal? You bet!
http://www.geocities.com/greenpartyvoter/

[BurtWorm]

33. You said it!

:hi:

[BurtWorm]

6. You've got to be kidding.

[DemNoir]

11. I am not kidding

That post was beyond disgraceful.

[siliconefreak]

19. Someone doesn't believe in freedom of speech...

THAT'S disgraceful, in my opinion.

[BurtWorm]

21. Thank you.

That makes me feel better. :toast:

[RafterMan]

36. Do you not believe

in rpalochko's freedom to disagree?

[BurtWorm]

39. With all due respect, disagreement is usually expressed reasonably

not as a command to hang one's head in shame. :eyes:

[RafterMan]

42. Using terms like

"the profound idiocy of the American people"?

What's good for the goose...

[BurtWorm]

43. Well that's an opinion, based on a lifetime of experience.

A person can disagree, certainly. But you don't disagree by assuming the position of a schoolmarm. You make a counter assertion and back it up with evidence.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

4. Burt...

There is NOTHING to bear this out. Not one damn thing.

Chin up.

[BurtWorm]

8. I hate to say it, TS, but there's nothing to bear out the opposite

either.

[Lerkfish]

10. vote first, then bitch if you want....my two cents.

[faithfulcitizen]

Yes, GO VOTE!!!!!!!!! :)

[Raenelle]

27. Burtworm, I've been thinking the same thing.

We WERE told voter turn-out would produce Dem victories in 2002, and we got slaughtered. I need to remember this, not because I believe it will be the same today, but because it could be--and I don't want to go absolutely insane with depression if it all doesn't match our high hopes.

I've been reminding myself of the same thing all week. We'll know in a day if all these hopes are well-founded or not.

[BurtWorm]

28. Exactly. Hope for the best. Expect the worst.

Believe me, I don't want to be disappointed. It's the worst feeling in the world. But better to be prepared for the worst than to get socked, the way we usually are.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

7. Look, I have no doubt there are a lot of Bush voters turning out too

we just need to stay ahead of them. Indications are that the new young voters will win it for us. I saw a lot at my precinct this morning here in NYC. It looks like the late break is to Kerry in Iowa and Ohio.
Stay positive, but if you sense a weakness- move to correct it!

[KurtNYC]

9. Blame the victims?

I don't think so. Only 18% of Americans voted for Bush last time.

[novadem]

14. How does FLA's turnout in 2002 compare to this year?

We hear a lot of comparisons to 2000, but not 2002.

[Brucey]

15. I agree with you BurtWorm

I hope to hell they get it right this time. It will be a tragedy if shrub wins. What will it tell us about this country????

[BurtWorm]

31. That's the question.

Of course, we have to remember that it may say less about "us" than it does about the jerks who control the electoral mechanisms.

[seraph]

16. Gee Burt, You need a rope or something? (nt)

[RetroLounge]

Go Vote

else STFU

RL

[Township75]

17. BW, there is NO F'en WAY KERRY LOSES THIS ELECTION!

BUSH IS A GONER, I AM POSITIVE OF THIS.

I am not worried one bit, and I too was shocked by the 2k2 election results.

It won't happen this time.

[novadem]

22. The sting of 2000's injustices

had to be more intense two years ago than it is today. The difference today will be Iraq.

[BurtWorm]

29. Your mouth to the gods' ears.

(If they exist, that is.) ;)

[wurzel]

18. Millions more people voted for Gore and Nader than for Bush in 2000.

I cannot imagine any one of these voting for Bush today. I personally also know Republicans who voted for Bush last time are voting for Kerry today. I don't know a single Dem or Ind voting for Bush.

[BurtWorm]

30. It's really the "American people" who control the mechanisms I'm worried

about this election. You're absolutely right that more people turned out for Gore. It may even have been that more people turned out for Democrats over all last election. It's just that the cards are stacked. The fix very well could be in. I don't trust a Republican as far as I can spit at one.

[wurzel]

49. I'm with you there.

NPR is reporting that in Columbus Ohio voting site there are only three machines for the election where there were eight machines for the primaries. So there are long lines in the rain.

[BillZBubb]

23. Burt, I'm with you on your subject line.

A majority of voting Americans can be colossally stupid and usually are. I've got to hope today will be an exception. But, I'm not betting on it.

[DemExpat]

25. I mentioned this very thing to my family this morning.....

but I also still have faith that the pendulum will start swinging back our way....

Mixed feelings of hope and dread....focus on the hope for now is all I can say!

:kick: :kick: :kick:

DemEx

[Triana]

26. There are a lot of INCREDIBLY stupid people..

...in this country. They've proven that to me numerous times, too. Sheeple abound....

[kwolf68]

32. Very worried

I am not happy with the tone on DU. Basically, everyone thinks we have it in the bag.

I just voted, happily for Mr. Kerry, and there were wing nuts all over the place. Even 2 or 3 young college age girls went to the Bush table and got some stickers and things. The lady at the Dem table was just sitting there. I went and talked to her a bit, but overall it seems like in this area of Virginia (Warren County, Clarke County area) it is all Bush.

The signs, after not being very prevalent are now everywhere I look. It looks like the Republicans have sand bagged on us. Their faithful are showing up at the polls.

My polling place just had the stench of Conservatism. Of course, the polling station was at a Baptist Church, which explains a lot, but it just seemed the Repukes are as energized as we are.

Again, it will be decided by those swing voters. I notice this board is very reactionary. We see a few polls showing Kerry in front and then we start talking Landslide. I feel like this will be a last 2nd finish either way.

[BurtWorm]

37. I think it's wise to be cautiously optimistic at best.

But I can't help but remember 1980, when I was also cautiously optimistic, as usual. I was conducting exit polling for a political science class in Lewiston, Maine, and the two students I was with, when told by an elderly jerk that he had just voted for Ronald Reagan gave him the thumbs up and said they had too. I was flabbergasted. It was the first time I'd ever come upon college students who voted Republican. And then I knew something really, really bad was up. And I was right.

[flowomo]

50. hey, Burtworm.... were you at Bates in 1980?

I was Bates class of '79.

[BurtWorm]

53. I was. For one semester.

I wish I could remember the names of the professors I had, but I can't. The political science class was the best of the lot.

[flowomo]

55. I think the guy's name was Diamond

[Phillycat]

52. It's easy to be psyched up when you live here. (Phila)

It's like Bush doesn't exist here. I can understand being more unabashedly excited here and much more tempered in enthusiasm there.

But no matter how either of us feel, we just have to sit and wait. And that part sucks. Which is why threads like these piss me off. :)

[Gregorian]

34. This is what I woke up to-

First I saw the planets. Then I noticed a huge owl. It was literally the size of a cat. But it seems that in the darkness, it flew away while I was taking the picture. Trust me, there really was an owl there.

I find things like this to be good omens. I usually keep this stuff to myself. But since this forum is such a big part of my life right now, here is my owlless picture.

[SammyWinstonJack]

35. Gee I'm so glad I read this post

:eyes:

[Borgnine]

40. Try and relax.

There's a big difference between 2002 and 2004. The fog of stupidity from 9/11 has finally lifted for all but the knuckle-dragging morons.

I know how you feel, but I'll tell you what. Don't give up on the American people until after today. They could surprise you yet.

[WilliamPitt]

41. Which 2002 turnout do you refer to?

Only 34% of the electorate voted in the midterms. The numbers today will bury that sad total but good.

[BurtWorm]

44. I hope you're right, and I hope it means what everyone here seems to think

it means.

But remember what they did in 2000. Renquist is hanging on in case his services are required again.

[Zuni]

45. Profound idiocy?

I'm sorry, but profound idiocy is not confined to the US borders. It is attitudes like this that turn off potential voters.

[BurtWorm]

46. Oh dear. How many potential votes have I turned away.

:eyes:

[The Wielding Truth]

51. None . We believe you are just shell shocked by the past.

Some of us have seem democracy turn big business on it's head. We know that your confidence can make the unlikely happen
as easy as breathing. Do yourself a favor believe and breath. It can't hurt to think that we can do it. If it gets down to a fight the confident may get beat up but he will not lose.Kerry will not lose and neither will we. Grit your teeth ,vote and smile. Good fortune is coming from WI,OH,NH,PA,FL.....

[BurtWorm]

54. I believe there are conceivably more people in the US who will

vote for Kerry, just as their were more who voted for Gore. But I also believe that the EC, redistricting, Federalist Society members in the court system, GOP secretaries of state, BBV and a clueless media very well could work to undermine us, just as most of the above did four and two years ago.