Bush’s lead in Ohio has gone up to 137,606 as 98% of the state has reported in. Unless the remaining votes are somehow massively for Kerry, there’s absolutely no way that Kerry can win, John Edwards blather about “counting every vote” notwithstanding. Kerry’s hoping for some final Hail Mary in Ohio, but the chances of that are slim to none. At this point, there just aren’t enough votes. If it were a margin of 50,000, they might have some case. But when it’s nearly 140,000 votes, there’s just no case there. Even if Kerry completely sweeps all that’s left of the state, it’s not going to be enough.
Bush won. He got a majority in the popular vote, something not even Clinton did. This election is over, and the only thing that Kerry can do by not conceding is make himself look like a sore loser. It’s not close, Bush has won the popular vote, it’s time to bow out with some dignity.
I’m going to try and get some sleep with the TV on. If something breaks, I’ll try and cover it then…
UPDATE: Right now Bush’s margin is over 145,000 votes, which means he picked up support as the last few precincts came in. At this stage, I very highly doubt that the provisional ballots could give Kerry a win here. Not that it will stop the Democratic lawyers from trying.
Yes Jay, it’s over:
http://www.secularhumanism.org/library/fi/britt_23_2.htm
Magnificent victory for intimidation and scare tactics. The silver lining is now that the right-wingers have total control of our government there can be no more excuses (awww….the recession started before Bush took office in 2000).
After four more years of a recklessly increasing defecit, more corporate scandals, more lost jobs, fewer civil liberties, a further degraded environment, more anti-Americanism abroad, more people below the poverty line and, most frightening of all, more pre-emptive wars based on lies, after all that, then we’ll finally convince enough of the easily duped electorate that it is really time for a change.
Congratulations to the extreme right-wing Republicans in charge. Keep running our country into the ground so all Americans will finally realize that unless you are a millionaire, Christian conservative or Zionist extremist, you have to finally dump the right-wing agenda in 2008.
Yep, no more excuses, with the White House again (‘selected not elected’ my ass!) and Congress still under (R) control. So after four more years of a recovering economy, fewer corporate scandals (since we’re farther removed from the Clinton adminstration), recognition of Old Europe as the (at best) obstructionist or (at worst) enemy it is, a smaller percentage of people below the poverty line, and a terrorist swamp well on its way to being drained, the Republicans will be in a better position to keep St. Hillary out of the Oval Office.
I am neither a millionaire, a Fundie, nor a Zionist, and I’m pretty happy about the election.
This nothing but brainwashed partisan talking:
“recovering economy”
The DOW is half what is was in 2000, with the economy having lost many jobs in the last 4 years, the fall of the dollar, the fall of the commercial balance and the increase of the national debt(455Billions!!)…what kind of economist are you to see it positively for the economy?
“fewer corporate scandals (since we’re farther removed from the Clinton adminstration)”
Maybe you should remove your blinders and use your glasses instaed. Ever heard of Enron, Worldcom and Halliburton? Hardly the same stories as a real estate shitty deal!! And don’t worry, the real stories are coming soon: Halliburton overcharged every single item sold to the US army in Irak. Maybe you don’t care that half the budget spent to “spread freedom” will directly reach Cheney’s portfolio…and Ken Lay is definitely not linked to this administration…
“recognition of Old Europe as the (at best) obstructionist or (at worst) enemy it is”
Pardon me!!!! I thought the enemies were the numerous terrorists and the “axis of evil” countries. It really sounds like it’s “against all enemies” now!! We europeans ARE obstructionnists against selfish nations who do not care about their wrong-doing, calling “torture”=”abuses” for example.
“a smaller percentage of people below the poverty line”
That didn’t happened under Bush (the opposite is true). Either you don’t read the figures or you watch FoxNews only…How can you actually say something like that when every available figure shows that there are more people today under the poverty line. Do you not care about saying lies, or do you think anyone can say anything because it favors them?
“and a terrorist swamp well on its way to being drained”
Just like Iraq today, where no terrorist was living one year ago and who can kill anyone today? Or maybe you mean like that other swamp where opium and tribal wars were on their way out, and that started again?
“I am neither a millionaire, a Fundie, nor a Zionist, and I’m pretty happy about the election.”
Yes, considering what you just said, we all know you are just another one of these stupid american who bought the whole thing from this administration without questionning it. You’ve bought that “the Patriot Act” was patriot and that the department of Homeland security would improve your security. You’ve also bought the WMDs issues, as well as the nigerian uranium story. You’re one of these people that believed the “war on terror” was proportionate and legitimate because, and you’ve been scared by wolves in an ad!
You’re patheticly believing everything your administration tells you and I’m screwed because of people like you!!! I can’t believe it.
But go on chris, prove me point by point that this list is untrue with facts. I’m waiting for your arguments (well, when the figure of people under poverty have increased, I don’t see how you could prove me wrong, but, surpise me!) or your excuses. I guess I won’t get any.
Awww….do you want some cheese with that whine?
Voter intimidation? You mean like having a MoveOn.org group setup a table right outside of polling spot?
A blatant lie.
Enron and Worldcom were cooking their books in 1995 – long before Bush was President.
Halliburton was Clinton’s preferred contractor in Bosnia as well, and several Clinton administration officials had ties to Halliburton then. KBR has been the military’s chief contractor since the Eisenhower Administration. While they may have overcharged on some items, those accusations have not been proven and are being investigated.
Yes, because Iraq and Afghanistan were so wonderful before the fall of Hussein and the Taliban. Why there were no secret police, mass executions, or political persecutions at all.
I bet the crime rate in Paris in 1942 was much lower than it was now too…
Guess what, you want to know what country has done more to erode civil liberties in the name of fighting terrorism than any other? that would be France:
As for the uranium story, your own government has confirmed it. Of course, the French media continues to peddle the lie. Do a search for uranium on this site and you could find a half-dozen disparate sources indicating quite clearly that Iraq was interested in purchasing uranium from Niger.
The United States has double the economic growth of France, half its unemployment, and our government hasn’t dramatically restricted religious freedom as France has. The vicious and stupid anti-Americanism that has been stirred up is an attempt by those responsible for the failure of European society to remain in power. Hell, even Jean-François Ravel, Oriana Fallaci, Christopher Hitchens, and other real intellectuals in Europe can see it coming.
Complain about American all you want – it won’t prevent the inevitable economic and demographic collapse of Europe into a pit of its own making.
You know the left is getting desperate when they start blaming the Zionists. I bet the poster “reality” thinks that the Zionists was responsible for 9/11 as well.
vincent,
“Just like Iraq today, where no terrorist was living one year ago and who can kill anyone today?”
Of course you wouldn’t have seen this: http://www.cnsnews.com//ViewSpecialReports.asp?Page=\SpecialReports\archive\200410\SPE20041004a.html
since your news sources have ignored it.
Thanks for the backup, everybody, but I’d like to point out one error I made. I said ‘after four more years of . . . a smaller percentage of people below the poverty line’ thinking that even though the number of people living below the poverty line had increased under President Bush’s first three years, the percentage had actually decreased since the population grew in that time frame. While looking up statistics to demonstrate that, I found the oppposite was true; it looks like the poverty rate is up about five percent since 2000 ( http://www.census.gov/acs/www/Products/Profiles/Chg/2003/ACS/Tabular/010/01000US3.htm ) .
Incidentally, I found out something interesting. The definition of poverty seems to have undergone a bit of inflation ( http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5829707/ ):
“Nicholas Eberstadt, an economist with the conservative American Enterprise Institute, points out that the poverty rate today is nearly identical with the rate in 1970, when a far higher percentage of people were living without such comforts as hot running water, telephones and clothes dryers.”
I will leave the reaction to being mocked about our economy by someone from France as an exercise for the reader.
vincent: “Pardon me! I thought the enemies were the numerous terrorists and the “axis of evil†countries. It really sounds like it’s “against all enemies†now!! “
France was in bed with Saddam to a degree no other country was, except maybe Russia. They bought Iraqi oil and sold him weapons, flouting UN sanctions. They did everything they could to obstruct us and prevent OIF because they knew we’d find out how much Saddam’s bitch they were!
“The major link between the conservative think tanks and the Israel lobby is the Washington-based and Likud-supporting Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (Jinsa), which co-opts many non-Jewish defense experts by sending them on trips to Israel. It flew out the retired general Jay Garner, now slated by Bush to be proconsul of occupied Iraq.
“Wolfowitz and Feith have close ties to the Jewish-American Israel lobby. Wolfowitz, who has relatives in Israel, has served as the Bush administration’s liaison to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Feith was given an award by the Zionist Organization of America, citing him as a ‘pro-Israel activist.’‗ Michael Lind (is a Whitehead Fellow at the New America Foundation in Washington)
“The “neoconservatives” who run the Bush regime all have close ties with the Likud government in Tel Aviv and the Zionist lobby groups in Washington. In 1997, the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (Jinsa) declared: “Jinsa has been working closely with Iraqi National Council leader Dr Ahmad Chalabi to promote Saddam Hussein’s removal from office…”
“Until recently, a group of Zionists ran their own intelligence service inside the Pentagon. This was known as the Office of Special Plans, and was overseen by Douglas Feith, an under-secretary of defence, extreme Zionist and opponent of any negotiated peace with the Palestinians.‗ John Pilger (is a war correspondent, film-maker and playwright, based in London)
“Neoconservatives tend to be far-right Zionists in the Jabotinsky tradition, whether they are Jews or Christian Zionists, and they are associated with a desire to ethnically cleanse the Palestinians from the West Bank or at least to so circumscribe their existence there as to render them nonentities.‗ Juan Cole (is Professor of History at the University of Michigan)
“Douglas Feith serves as the number three civilian in the George W. Bush administration’s Defense Department, under Donald Rumsfeld and Paul Wolfowitz. Feith cannot be described by just one label. He is a longtime militarist, a neoconservative, and a right-wing Zionist…(with a) prominent role in the Center for Security Policy (CSP) and in the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (JINSA).
“Feith is a self-proclaimed Zionist – not a Labor Zionist, but a right-wing Zionist close to the Likud party and the Zionist Organization of America.
In 1997 the Zionist Organization of America honored Dalck Feith and Douglas Feith at its annual dinner. It described the Feiths as “noted Jewish philanthropists and pro-Israel activists.” ….Douglas received the “prestigious Louis D. Brandeis Award.”
“It was not until a new Likud government was formed under Ariel Sharon and when Feith and other Zionists such as Paul Wolfowitz, Elliott Abrams, and Michael Rubin, together with militarists such as Rumsfeld and Cheney, took over control of Middle East policy during the Bush II administration that Israel, supported by the United States, made a “clean break” from the Oslo framework.‗ Tom Barry (is policy director of the Interhemispheric Resource Center (IRC))
Any more stupid comments, Justin?
Hey, anybody seen Mark?
Reality: Thanks for your anti-Semitic conspiracy theories. It’s clear that something needs to be done to identify these Zionists in office. We need to know who they are – perhaps a large yellow star would suffice? And if they get uppity, there’s plenty of room for concentration camps in the Southwest…
Chris: I’d try looking in psychiatric hospitals…
Reality-
You sound a lot more like Randy Weaver than a liberal. All this chatter about the zionis occupied government (which is where the logical follow of your bevy of useless quotes– without source– leads). You’re reality is something that would be much appreciated in the press of any Arab nation. I am sure you could get a job as a political cartoonist there.
One more comment for “reality.” Please note that Bush is the first president to explicitly push for a Palestinian state. So much for the extreme zionist string puller strategy. You call yourself reality, more like the truth filtered THROUGH reality in my estimation.
Justin, but what exactly do you mean when you say: “Bush is the first president to explicitly push for a Palestinian state”.
What has he done in this direction? Looks like empty promises to me since on the other hand, Bush agreed on many things destroying the road map and palestinian lives!
What had he done that can prove anyone that Bush is a “fair” judge for this situation (and by “fair”, I don’t mean the “fair and balanced” approach)
And what did Arafat do to comply with the road map? Absolutely nothing. The only thing Arafat wants is the destruction of Israel – and anyone who has ever even tried to understand the anti-Semitic propaganda coming out of the West Bank and Gaza could see it clearly.
50 years ago most of Europe sold out its Jewish population. From the casual acceptance of anti-Semitism that has once again emerged in European society, it’s clear that they have learned nothing from the Second World War.
Ahh, the anti-semite label. What took you so long? Usually when you right-wingers can’t argue the facts you go to the smearing very early on. Was there anything there in my sources that was inaccurate? Please, enlighten me. Of course you can’t agrue based on facts, so the naturally the insults follow.
It is so pathetic when people assume that if you are against the ultra-conservative policies of those who want Israel to completely take the West Bank, something that would violate every international law, well then you must hate Jews. Surveys have shown that most Jews in America did not support George Bush and that they don’t like the radical agenda of Sharon. Gee, I guess they hate Jews too. Can’t I be against radical pro-Israeli policy and be pro-Jewish? I hope its OK with you guys, since you are the moral police.
In Washington they have an “Ahmen Corner”, where if you don’t cozy up to the right-wing pro-Israel lobby you will pay with your political life. Well, then it’s a good thing I’m not owned by any lobby or corporate interest, because I can say what I want, even if the truth hurts.
The greatest intellectual our nation has had in the past 30 years, and the public figure I most admire, happens to be a Jew. Interesting to note how much you people hate Noam Chomsky, however. I guess you Noam Chomsky haters are against the Jews and must be ready to set up the concentration camps.
If Noam Chomsky can voice the same position as me, then either we’re both Jew haters or we both have the right to point out the truth, and that is that Bush’s foreign policy has been taken over by people whose allegiances to a foreign government are too strong to look out for the best interests of our country.
I knew you guys couldn’t argue the facts. Always the same thing. You could never seriously answer the question of how America has benefitted from its too-close relationship to Israel. You can’t argue the facts of what Chomsky writes either. So, quite predictably, you turn to name calling and character assasinations. Very Rush Limbaugh. Very sad.
You want facts Reality, here goes–
Ariel Sharon has appointed 3 Arabs to the Israeli Supreme Court. He has included the first ever Arab in an Israeli Cabinet. But of course in your mind the Israeli Arabs don’t even exist, they are just collaborators who should renounce their Israeli citizenship, right?? He has taken on the settlers in Gaza and the more isolated and radical settlements with his plan. Sharon is not perfect. I would rather see Labour in power in Israel. I do believe that Amram Mitzna (given his track record as mayor of haifa) will do a better job at bringing together middle Israel. With that said Sharon is far from the radical war monger you portray him as. You know nothing about Israeli politics, and your ignorance is no bliss. If you want to talk about radicals, do some research on Ovadia Yossef (the Shas spirtual leader) or Effi Eitam (the mafdal leader). Sharon has stood up to these men and gone ahead with the Gaza plan.
As for Chomsky, he has flirted with HOLOCAUST DENIAL!! He hates America, hates Israel, and is pretty much discredited as a political thinker. His linguistic theories are interesting though, although it is strange that he is a unilingual linguist, but that is for another debate.
You came on here and started bitching and moaning about how this election was the work of extreme zionists. Your one post with all those random quotes about Zionists in government puts you a lot closer to the randy weaver’s and christian identity movement scum of this world than any right thinking liberal. And for the record we give more money a year to Egypt than Israel. So much for those Zionists dominating our government.
I am not a limbaugh puppet, I am not even a republican (I voted for Michael Badnarik of the Libertarian Party). But I am sick and tired of the one sided bile that condemns Israel without giving it any credit for the fact that it is a pluralist democracy.
Your arguments show the most rudimentary knowledge of Israeli politics. The majority of American Jews do support Israel, if not Sharon. And remember there is a way to get Sharon out of office democratically, whereas there isn’t for King Hussein, Hosni Mubarak or any other Arab leader.
I wonder what Noam Chomsky would say about civil liberties and human rights in those nations.
I have never claimed to be an expert on internal Israeli politics, which is why my post had to do with something else, and that is how our foreign policy is overly controlled by Americans who have a questionable agenda. I think it is wrong to have so many key players in the State Department and DOD who are in favor of radical Israeli politics. Israel has the right to exist, and to exist in peace, but so do we. Unfortunately, by having people like Feith and Wolfowitz make so many key decisions, I’m afraid the price America (and Israel) will pay is too high. We can help protect Israel without completely alienating the Palestinians and other Arabs and Muslims. In fact, Israel would be much safer by not taking such a hard line.
Just because Sharon has an Arab in his cabinet does not make a man that is sympathetic to Arabs. Bush has Powell and Rice in high positions, yet 90% of African-Americans voted against him. Why is that? He has prominent African-Americans in his adminstration, that must mean his policies should be supported by African-Americans. Right? Maybe you think African-Americans are too stupid to understand that Republicans are better for their interests than Democrats. I’ll give you more credit than you give me, someone you don’t even know, and assume you don’t think this statement is accurate.
Please give me proof of where Chomsky flirted with Holocaust denial. He hates America? He’s a discredited political thinker? Again, please give me proof of this. Who awards such credit? If someone like Bill O’Reilly discredited him, well, frankly that doesn’t mean much. Noam Chomsky, despite getting zero publicity in the corporate media, still packs in audiences wherever he goes and his political books are typically popular–despite a lack of publicity. Have you ever read any of his books? Which ones? I’ve communicated with the man and from my experience he is one of those rare people who are not afraid to tell the truth. And he does not care what others think, which is why he goes after the Left almost as often as he does the Right.
If you have ever read Chomsky you would know exactly what he says about the brutal nature of many Middle Eastern nations. I can assure you he is not complimentary to extremists like bin Laden, Hussein, etc.
If we give more aid to Egypt than Israel it can’t be by much, and besides, so what? Egypt is a very large country with a capital city of over 20 million people, many of whom live in poverty and hunger. Israel is a tiny nation with people who live rather comfortably by world and local standards, and certainly by the standards of the Palestinians who live in those camps and depressing settlements. A colleague of mine has worked extensively in Israel and the West Bank, and has told me of the hardships faced by the Palestinians. Do they get billions from our government with which to build permenant settlements, schools and hospitals? Why not?
The comment you made about how most American Jews support Israel but not Sharon is in line with my thinking as well. Again, the point of my original post was that it is in America’s interest (and Israel’s too, for that matter) to not have such dangerous idealogues high up in State and DOD making critical decisions. They are fanning the flames of hatred and these feelings of ill will toward America and Israel are damaging our two nations greatly. What would have happened if instead of spending $150B on destroying Iraq we spent the money on improving the living conditions of the Palestinians? I can promise you that Israel would be a lot safer today and Muslims across the globe would have a more favorable view of America.
You are a Libertarian? Well, you might be surprised that all the quotes I referenced were from articles posted on a Libertarian website: Antiwar.com. (Do an author search on the site and you’ll find the articles). I don’t take to labels. I didn’t like Clinton and I don’t like Bush. If someone makes sense I’ll agree with him, if not, then I’ll disagree. And I’m certainly not anti-Israel or anti-Jewish. I’m not anti-American or anti-Muslim. Anti-extremist, yes. Anti-labels, yes. I posted quotes that show how our nation is being put at risk by the work of a few men whose ties to a foreign government are much too close for people in their capacities. You did not disprove any of that. Whether they are extemist Christian or Jewish Zionists does not matter to me. What matters is that we are orchestrating a Middle East foreign policy that is costing our nation hundreds of billions of dollars and thousands of lives, while people in our own nation are suffering.
I am a professional engineer who is doing volunteer work in a developing part of the world. How am I close to Randy Weaver and starting concentration camps? It is dangerous to make too many assumptions, Justin.
Reality-
I’ll concede to you my comments linking you with Randy Weaver were an overreaction and uncalled for. I still have strong misgivings about the where the logical followthrough of your arguments go with regards to conspiracy theories, but your motives are not what I made them out to be.
A few points
1) Sharon’s policies do not show racism towards the Arab population. Internally he has tried to help the Israeli Arabs more than the Labor Party has recently. Labor takes the Israeli Arab vote for granted, just like the demcorats take the african-american vote for granted.
2) Israel’s hardline is a response to the hardline taken b the Palestinian Authority. Arafat has the chance for 95% of what he wanted and he walked away. He has refused to properly punish jihadist terrorists. In the absence of a partner for peace, Israel must uniltaterally disengage.
3) You didn’t prove anything with those random montage of quotes, except how to cherrypick random facts to prove an undefendable thesis. The US-Israel axis is not what poses a threat to peace. For all his flaws, Bush has specifically talked about a Palestinian state, something no previous president has done. As I mentioned, we give more money to certain arab states like Egpyt (and a lot of that money is military aid). Israel receives no special monetary treatment, and as such it is silly to claim they are special receipients of over the top aid.
4) The State department and DOD is not in favor of radical Israeli politics. Show me where they support radicals such as Michael Kleiner (of the racist Herut Party), Effi Eitam (of the pro settler national religious party) or of the National Union. The parties which support Greater Israel are not highly regarded by the state department. Likud does not support a greater Israel and has been willing to disengage. Support for a mainstream centre right party does not constitute support for radical politics.
So pleace call off the massive straw men that you have decided to foist at me.
On to Chomsky, this main has denied the genocide in Cambodia. How can you defend a man who denis the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge? His rationale for this is disbelief that a far left regime could do such a thing. I find him to be d He has defended the right of Robert Faurisson to publish holocaust denial material. He has worked with neo-nazis in France, used anti-semitic slurs in his book the Fateful Triangle (which I have read), when talking about genocidal teachings in Jewish religion. This is something he has in common with David Duke. Werner Cohen was written an excellent book about Chomsky’s alliances with third positionists. I am sorry, but I don’t respect a man who believes truth is elastic and should be distorted for political ends.
I am sorry if I caused offense to you in my more personal comments, but ideologically I disagree with you as you are embracing some very dodgy charachters and ideology to prove an undefendable argument.