today, vote. tomorrow, recount.

I didn't vote as I live in Belgium.
I would have voted Kerry. Or hired a hitman.

"I think one of the amazing things is that America is beginning to look like the Middle East. [...] It is nasty."

E, you're right, but you missed a detail: Middle-East has no big effect on the rest of the world. But when Bush gets another of his "Oh, our weapons don't sell well and there's no action on TV" fits, God knows what he's gonna bomb next, especially as according to BBC, Iraq was next to Germany, so I guess the world has to be very, very scared - because that man doesn't even know where exactly to make up his lack of IQ with an excess of violence. Madmen are dangerous...

Dear Sailor Gohan, let me tell you that abortion can be more "pro-life" than forced existance! Life should not only be "a breathing lump of flesh", but should also have quality! Mental and physical! If I was pregnant, and I knew that my child was going to be severely disabled, or that I couldn't offer it a good life, or that my own quality of life would be severely comprimised - then, for the sake of life, even if it's mine and not the child's, abortion is an option that may save me or/and the child a lot of misery.
Plus, Bush is no better. He's anti-love. What the hell is his problem with same-sex marriage? Are gay people potential terrorists or what? If the church is his argument, then excuse me, but a perfect stranger called "pope" (I call him Vegetable) is NOT qualified to tell you how to live your life.
In the dark ages, life was hard, but not only because of poverty and disease. It was hard because people slaughtered, hated, exiled and abused each-other "in the name of God". Religion was their highest law, and whoever said something that God would not have said, could estimate themselves lucky to be left alive. Those people were blind, brainwashed, lead on a leash like a dog who blindly obeys its owner.

Plus, he complains about religious extremism, but is someone praying all the time and pronouncing "God, blabla" all day and excusing everything as being "In the name of God" any better? He even thinks, just like Al Qaeda, that his people are elected by God!
Or is it as in the old times, when crusades were held "in the name of God" as a pretext because "Money" didn't sound cool?

I will perhaps make the Americans among you very angry saying:
Eversince Bush was first elected, the image of the people of the USA, perceived by the rest of world or a great part thereof, is very, very pathetic. I know that this does not apply to each individual but still: This is sad! And Bush is to blame for a great share. I am REALLY sorry to say that this is NOT an opinion of "a minority called Anna".

Personally, I'd wish for the world to get along. And Kerry would have provided a chance to make that happen, because "getting along" is not "dominating" - something Bush has yet to learn.

Anyways, no offense intended and have a nice day!

For all you progressive, independant, moderate types a site you might just like (*winks*):

http://commongroundcommonsense.org/

I personally recommend:
http://www.notallamericansarestupid.com

[quote]Eversince Bush was first elected, the image of the people of the USA, perceived by the rest of world or a great part thereof, is very, very pathetic.[/quote]

No one likes American politics, but they do like American culture, American technology, American universities, and American entertainment. The system makes all of those other things you do like possible. Sure, there's inefficiency, but nothing that should incite widespread panic. The US scores pretty good grades in limiting political corruption against other countries, most of whom only have 1/10-1/4 of the industry and intellectual capital.

A more accurate evaluation of the position of the US in the global landscape can be found at your local library or as ongoing commentary in nifty monthly/bi-monthly magazines. My personal favorite is Foreign Policy, which I highly recommend every English-speaking person on the planet should read. (http://www.foreignpolicy.com)

Either way, opinions from respected analysts will always be superior to self-published wackos on the Internet, myself included.

Wasn't there a comment buried somewhere in here about how voting in your local elections has more of an effect than voting for the president anyway? Yep, it's true. The US president will inconvenience/vaporize/reward/coerce people you've never met and will never care about, at least not on the same level you care about even your next-door neighbors. Most of the media paints the US as a banana republic of sorts, where somehow there's there's a handful of evil masterminds moving the gears of American politics against the will of an enlightened but powerless electorate.

Hogwash. There's lots of people here, we're all a little bit evil, and we're all riding the short bus off the cliff together.

If you're looking to ease traffic congestion or better schools or something along those lines, vote for your state reps and local council members. You know, the unglamorous elections. The ones with sub-10% turnout. The really important things in life are always unglamorous.

Topic change! Back to anime!