Well, as I always say in such situations, each country deserves the government they elected.

Wow, Joi, that's so nice of you to tar the entire country - including the 49% who voted for Kerry - with a single stroke.

I think the problem is that Bush had more support this time than in 2000. And this support come from the whole country... that's weird.

I think a lot of people really don't understand the two issues that seemed to me to decide this election. First, national security. Honestly I think the majority of the American public is against the war in Iraq and how it was handled but I think we also claerly beleived that Bush was the better president to have for national security reasons. Also, I think the other issue important to this election is that the Democratic leadership is too liberal for the majority of the American public. They really aren't in touch with the majority of Americans and what's important to us. Also, although considerable less important, I think the Osama bin Laden tape hurt Kerry. It's in the American nature to be rebellious. Especially with regard to someone so hated in this country. I think a lot of people who were on the fence probably voted for Bush because OBL told us not to.

I'm interested in exactly how the American People failed you. Because we didn't vote the way YOU wanted. Because we didn't vote the way Europe wanted us to vote. This is a democracy and it's made up of American citizens. We got the person we voted for, for the reasons that were important to us. Not based on what everyone else thought we should do. Seems to me that shoudl reaffirm that democracy works.

Besides, you only have 4 more years and then you'll get Hillary and anyone who doesn't like Bush has to be excited about that prospect

Your generalizations and assertions on America are disappointing.

That's a little harsh, Joi. There are over 50 million US citizens who did vote and not for Bush. Clearly, the majority has chosen a President AND a Congress who will continue to butcher foreign policy, rollback social progress, and do an incredible amount of damage to the economy because of their lack of fiscal responsibility. And as you say, we get who we voted for. But 50 million of us didn't vote for it.

For the rest of us, what are we supposed to do? How is this supposed to be fixed?

We don't know yet: in 2000 over 50% of votes went to Gore, yet Bush won because of the Electoral College system.

It may well turn out the same thing happens this time.

And a happy hikikomori to you too, good sir.

It's scary. A faith based president with no fiscal responsibility, no sense of the world, and no curiosity. Joi, I agree with you.

Divided States of America

Dont be quite so harsh, many good people tried to return the US to its ideals. You should also be careful what you say now if you plan on visiting the US, things could get very much more Orwellian there.

Looking at the election maps it is interesting to see how and where the divides lie. Metropolitan areas seemed to vote overwhelmingly Kerry (80%+ in some) while rural areas voted as a majority for Bush. I would suggest the North Eastern and West Coast States vote to secede from the Union and join Canada! Leave the rest of the States to descend into something like a "faith" based monarchy (Old Europe ?).

Your title suggests that half of the population was trying to redeem themselves, they are not, they dont care about you, me or the rest of the world outside their borders and they like it that they dominate us.

My thoughts go out to all those good people who worked to oust the administration, oh, and to the poor civilians of Iran, youre next I guess.

Remember whatever mistakes you make, however unbelievably incompetent you are, just remain condescending, aggressive and deny everything!

I think the Bin Laden video scared the crap out of alot of would-be Kerry voters. Those voters were left with a basic decision of who they felt safer with.

Ouch, that is really harsh as others have noted. It was close, but I guess myself and all other Americans evidently should be shot on sight now because Bush won by a slim majority. Oh darn, better luck next election Americans!

Come on Joi! As someone who voted for Kerry, I'm a little offended at you lumping all of America into the 'evil' column even though Bush won by only 4 million votes. I'm glad that Japan's government and other world leaders have gone on record stating they will continue to work with the US regardless of who it's leader is.

What? A vote for Bush is a vote for National Security? Democrats too liberal for America? We're a democracy? You are a victim of our lame news media, my friend. You must watch Fox News. First, you cannot fight a war of ideology with brutality. Plain and simple. You learn that in kindergarten. Did you go to kindergarten? Second, those Red states USED to be the most radical, liberal, pro-labor states in this country. But they get suckered everytime into thinking that the "moral" Republicans with their so-called "family values" will save them from the despair their bad judgement has wrought in the past. The poor suckers. Read, "What the Matter with Kansas." They keep voting Republican but Republican policies keep dismantling whatever hope they had left. Then, with no other options left, they join the military and get sent overseas.
Nice "values". We aren't and won't be a democracy until we have a better educated, better informed citizenry. The reason that the rest of the world knows that George W. Bush is an idiot, is because they do get real news. Switch over from Fox to BBC News sometime.

I didn't do it. This was the fear that I had going into this election; that the rest of the world would REALLY turn on us if we re-elected Bush. I know that almost half of the voters didn't vote for him, but most of the people I know, when confronted with this argument, didn't care AT ALL what people in other countries thought. Seeing as how throughout history it seems that Americans have always strived to be "the good guys" in the eyes of the world, I am disturbed by this new attitude.

will this affect some of your travel plans Joi? The way you feel about the US and it's citizens now?

I'm wondering just how much it's going to take to stop people like us from going there. It seems being treated like criminals when you enter the country hasn't been enough... Will this move us closer to the tipping point where going to the US just isn't worth the hassle?

I expected something less simple-minded from you. You let down the people of America.

Yes. It's a bit harsh, but this was the best chance that anti-Bush people had to try to convince the rest of America and convince the world that they didn't agree with Bush. Yes, almost half of America voted against Bush, but "the Americans" have failed to change the administration and the anti-Bush people were unable to swing the "undecided".

When I say failed "us", I mean myself and others who wish that Bush had not won the election and do not believe in the policies of the US these days.

Americans have just shot themselves in the ass. Psychopath idiot monkey boy will cause so much damage in the next four years it's scary.

While I don`t agree with Joi, I believe his feelings will be shared by many people around the world.

I rabidly refute that Americans have failed you, we have failed ourselves. We have failed to look at issue one beyond terror, and abortion. The concept of faith based anything and the need to fight terror is a ploy on fear and intimidation. Secularism is now a synonym with progressive, godless heathen. If you want to know the scariest places in the world to live right now as a non white Christian you can find them marked red on the 2004 election map!

Kerry Concedes :(

I worked my butt off for Kerry in this election. I don't think American voters are unique in making irrational choices based on anxiety and anger. This post is unworthy of the Joi Ito I thought I knew.

Kerry Concedes [washingtonpost]

Joi, in that post it was unclear if you were speaking as a Japanese citizen. If so, would you be willing to apply the same standards to Japan? Your prime minister is one of Bush's strongest allies.

Amen, and woe to the republic.

Of course, in addition to keeping the Shrub around, we've also voted (in 11 states) to formally prohibit -- as John Stewart put it -- "Dudes looking at dudes." Gay marriage is officially illegal if 1/5 of the country. Hooray.

But just when I thought it couldn't get any stupider than that ... Alabama state residents overwhelmingly declined the opportunity to vote down an age-old statute in their state constitution that requires racial segregation in schools (though admittedly this is not enforced anymore).

Jesus H. Christ in a double-wide.

It's really sad. I rode the Boston subway into Copley plaza this morning and watched as they took down the Kerry stage where he was supposed to declare victory last night. This city is devastated, but at least we have the Red Sox - too bad for the rest of the Americans suffering in other blue states.

Where are decent free thinking americans going to go now? We've been hiding out in liberal safe zones like San Fran, NYC, Chicago, and Boston for so long, but now it seems like we need to escape this safe ecosystem. I'm trying to decide between leaving the U.S. altogether (which countries besides canada or aus/nz are open to us?) or moving to a swing state and motivating the mobs of Red Staters to wake up and smell the propaganda.

Hey. I didn't vote for him. The whole country seems to be swinging to the right. But look... here's what really happened last night. The yahoos and religious fundamentalists stood up to be counted. And then the normal people stood up to be counted. The yahoos came out in greater numbers.

This President is not out of the woods yet. He is still hated at home and abroad. He is still incompetent. The fires of hatred in the middle east have just been stoked even higher. Furthermore, the US west coast is very unlikely to close ranks behind Bush and thinking people in the US are very seriously beginning to wonder if our political destiny should be determined by those we do not respect or agree with.

You know what? Fuck you.

What should we have done? Move to a swing state to make our votes "count more"?

We're not all jerks.

Ashcroft is apparently gone as Attorney general, Powell doesn't want to continue and rumsfeld might be punted as well. Big changes in the Bush cabinet ahead.

Right on! Couldn't agree more.

Betsy, I'm sorry if I've offended you. I'm being intentionally abrasive in this post. For all of you who worked hard on the election, you have my sympathy. I'm just saying that you can't act like there are 2 Americas. America 1 was unable to swing America 2. Some worked hard. other didn't. In any event, you are siblings and have to take responsibility for the other half.

Boo. I'm speaking as a non-American who can't vote. Japanese politics suck. Japanese politics is worse than the US, but the impact that Japanese politics has on the rest of the world is minimal. As the world's Super-Duper Power you have to meet higher standards.

I'm just saying that you can't act like there are 2 Americas.

Come on, Joi. You're stealing a line from Bin Laden's next video tape. There can be 2 Americas. In fact, there are two Americas and you know it.

In any event, you are siblings and have to take responsibility for the other half.

Maybe that's how it works in Japan, I dunno. What are you saying, we're ALL ass-holes because the man some of us regard as a usurper won again?

The international community is very upset with the Bush win. If they want to undermine Bush and help prevent the nation's swing to the right, they must appeal to us, not call us ass-holes. If you brand us all as nutcase Bushists, the country is likely to swing even further to the right.

But there are 2 Americas. Have you seen zephoria's thoughts about Walmart America vs. Starbucks America? I wouldn't expect you to understand, as I imagine you don't spend a lot of time in rural areas when you visit the US. But there are most definately two sides to the US: urban and rural. Just look at the voting maps by county, like California for instance.

Let me add one more thing. Whenever Japan or the Japanese do something stupid, I feel bad and guilty. Like it or not, I'm part of the "Japanese". Like it or not, Americans are all Americans. I'm reacting, in part, to the notion that just because you voted for Kerry, that you are not responsible for the actions of your government and the results of your election.

I think people both inside and outside the US realize that there is a diversity of opinion among US citizens on the current leadership. Within the US we can benefit and act on this diversity by picking and choosing where we live and who we associate with and mobilizing to be heard. But for most of those on the outside, the face of the US is singular - led by the Bush white house - and does not reflect this internal diversity. As Joi says, it looks and acts like one America from the outside, though on the inside there are many Americas. This is a fundamental structural and perspectival difference between how those outside and inside US borders are effected by the US election. I think both perspectives deserve to be acknowledged.

Well, Joi, it seems to me that you're saying Americans are delinquent in their responsibility to do the right thing and that you are painfully disappointed in them. If that's the case, I agree with you wholeheartedly.

The Democratic Party is on its deathbed. It needs reforms, and it needs them now. Quite frankly, the status quo simply won't cut it anymore, so change *is* coming, Joi. Maybe you can help us with it. Stand with us in our darkest hour. :)

I shall seriously consider reading your blog in the future.

If you think it's harsh to hear these sentiments from Joi, get used to it. All of Europe (ahem, generalization) is saying the same thing. It is the common sentiment outside of the white picket fences.

Mimi, I agree. I acknowledge that there are two Americas. But as you say, from the outside there is just one. When I was in China, I found myself attacked by the Chinese about being Japanese. I found it disturbing, but I found myself apologizing for my fellow Japanese and understanding that I can't shake the fact that I AM a Japanese and a representative of the community. You identify with different communities at different times. Sometimes you have to take responsibility for the actions of your family members. Today Americans have to take responsibility for their fellow citizens.

As Mike says, maybe liberals should take a good look at whether the Democrats are representing them properly? Maybe the media should think about whether ripping apart leading candidates during the primaries is a good thing. I am reacting to a lot of the "Oh crap. They won. Pitty us people who voted for Kerry." You can ALWAYS do more. If one in 10 Kerry voters had convinced an undecided voter to vote for Kerry, Kerry would have won.

Anyway, maybe I should stop. I realize that this is not a simple matter, but after being told several times that I should stay out of US politics, I feel really let down. There was definitely a very loud "let us make up our own minds" tone to a lot of the comments. Now the Americans have and I'm disappointed.

I can't even tell you how disappointed and disgusted I am in my country right now. Canada is sounding better and better.

I don't think you should stop. We're all upset.

There are three Americas, not two.

25% of people voted for Kerry.

26% of people voted for Bush.

48% didn't vote. That means - half of the people don't just give a damn. If there's anything that disappoints me, it's the low turnout. Better than ever, yes, but still abysmally low for a civilized country.

(Numbers are guesstimates, but you get my point).

By the way, just so I'm clear. I'm mainly criticizing the people who are whining about Bush who weren't active during the campaigns.

Just wanted to add one more thing. I think that American theocracy mandated a Bush win. The churches across America don't really care about the war or the economy. When will Americans recognize the religious right for the vipers and hypocrites that they are?

Yes. And Janne points out. Those who had an opinion but didn't vote should feel double guilty.

FU - Tufts and U of Chicago? You took advantage of what his country has to offer and then move to Japan to criticize us? Mind you own business you POS. The people have spoken. What would Kerry done any different? A global test? The UN is corrupt ie; food for oil. We should thumb our noses at the rest of the world. Stay out of our politics!

I am almost as disappointed with the (I guessing..) American comments intimating that Joi should mind his own business, as with the apparent blindness to their choice of Leader. 'No man is an Island' and with the US Government (representing the People) making decisions on World as well as National security, simply telling non-Americans to 'butt-out' is selfish and short-sighted.

My sympathies if you were in the Minority that voted for Kerry, your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to not rest until you have a socially and morally responsible President once more. Its the Brits turn to get rid of their Lap-Dog next....

As one of the non-voters (ouch, stop hitting me already) the two candidates that I was given to choose from looked nearly identical to me. I voted for Bush in 2000 based on a platform of staying out of foreign involvements, cutting taxes, and reducing federal programs. Obviously, this was nearly the opposite of what I got, except for a pitiful tax break. As I mentioned earlier, the only difference I could see between Bush and Kerry was the foreign view of them (Bush as evil and Kerry as unknown, therefore possibly good). So I think that the other 48% didn't have any viable options.

I am very disappointed this morning, as an American who voted the other way, and hoped for better.

... but my second thought is that democracy is after all, the tyranny of the majority. In this case a very slim majority either wants a war, or counts a war as secondary to other concerns.

Everyone outside that majority is a victim. I won't suffer as much as someone on the wrong end of a 1000 pound bomb, but I am NOT part of the tyranny.

Hold your horses, Joi. I didn't vote for that pig.

For the record, there's a lot of us in the US that are proud of our country (no matter how unfashionable it gets) and consider the result a great success.

There are some rational people out here that just don't buy into the left's characterization of the Bush administration.

As individuals, I don't blame any of you. But you ARE: "One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all."

Fascinating to me how people have little faith in democracy. The idea of democracy is much larger than any one person no matter how much power that person might lead.

Liberals are so depressing and show no hope for the future. Kerry and the rest of the Dems had no vision of hope.

I could give a rats ass about countries that came together to support despots like Saddam Hussein. The UN and the Oil for Food program along with a lot of western europe is a great example of hands in the cookie jar while telling us not to do it.

And you guys have the nerve to talk about democracy despite supporting a brutal dictator who CLEARLY was supressing it?

Indeed a dark day for mankind.

I think it's quite apparent even to outsiders that there ARE two americas. The split in ideology was clear before the election to people who cared to read up on the state of affairs in the country and now, with the elections, there are numbers to prove it. However, I disagree with Joi's claim that one half of the country must take responsibility for the other half's choices. It's not a parent-child relationship wherein the parent can be held responsible for the child's actions. It's more like a twin-brother relationship in which each is diametrically opposite in beliefs. You CANNOT fault one for the actions of the other.

Neville: but you only have one seat at the UN, one ambassador to each nation and one commander in chief of the Armed Forces. The politicians are democratically elected officials representing you. You would be surprised how much it's NOT apparent to outsiders that there are two Americas. How many Japan's do you think there are? Or Chinas? I never get away with "Oh, you're talking about the OTHER Japan" when I travel in Asia. Again, apologies for making it sound like I'm blaming individuals. I'm not. I'm blaming "The American People" as a unit that sometimes MUST be accountable as a unit in certain situations.

joi, i too think you are being quite unfair.

i'd guess that the vast majority of your readership, like myself, is very much against bush. and i think it is also fair to assume that those of us whe are american readers have done quite a bit over the last 4 years to support kerry and fight bush in a variety of ways, so domo arigato for hitting us when we are down.

america strives to be a true democracy; how close we are to this goal is of course debatable, but allowing the winner of the popular vote to continue to rule is certainly part of that. the people have spoken. i'm as shocked and disgusted as you are, (if not more-- i have to live here) but it just isn't my fault.

Let me clarify at the outset that I'm not American :-).

I do agree with you - as a political entity, the US has but one face. It's a rather crudely quantized election process - an all or nothing game - which is the source of much international public opinion on the american people. It does seem a little unfair that the people who lost by 1% get no say.

But that's not my point. It's not the ambassadors or commanders-in-chief or the members of the UN who make decisions or form opinion by reading your blog. It is understandable that THEY see the US as a one-faced entity because they have to deal with the ruling party. It's important, however, that the PUBLIC of the world see things not in black and white but in whatever shades of grey we can manage. It's the public that reads your blog - and I don't think having a title like "the americans have failed us" is doing justice to that end.

I wonder how many knew, when I referred to "the tyranny of the majority" I was thinking of Thomas Jefferson and concerns of the founding fathers?

Come on, democracy may be the best thing available (and I think it is), but it does not live up to its best PR. No one with a passing knowledge of history should expect it to, or should believe it is infallible.

Read some DeTocqueville for goodness sakes! If you haven't got time for that, can you take a second to remember slavery?

BTW Joi, were the abolishists at fault?

Personally, I'm extremely disappointed with the election results. I'm far away from America but the results do affect everyone else. Joi might be a little harsh but I tend to agree. First thought that came to my mind was:" What's wrong with Americans??" Next was:" Does this mean there's gonna be another war coming?" Not sure about other people but there was an e-mail circulating around few years ago about how Republicans bring war to the world and I guess Bush ain't gonna be the one who stops the trend... My dad told me Saddam wasn't that horrible a leader but was portrayed by the American government as a despot so America can get to their oil. Not too sure if it's true but I'm quite inclined to believe that.

ScottG, 51 - Your resounding success looks more like a "catastrophic success", to me. A Kerry win would have calmed the the fires of hatred, but his loss will only make the winds of change blow harder. Bush, like Osama Bin Laden, is keeping the fires of hatred stoked.

As a Japanese living in Japan, I totally support Joi's opinion. From outside USA, it does look like "The American People" failed to stop Bush run USA for next 4 years. Even you like it or not, or if you voted for Kelly you can not change that because that's the way the rest of USA see it.

But Joi, saying this means we Japanese must stop Koizumi run Japan too. As Japanese living in Japan, I am really tired with watching Koizumi doing many irresponsible things and not admitting mistakes he or the government made.

To not be same as "The American People" let's do something to make "The Japanese People" not make the same mistake "The American People" made.

We didn't fail, we won... Instead of trying to figure out a way to subvert our Gov, our elected leaders, and our people, I think the rest of the world should look at ways we can all work together to solve the world's problems.

It doesn't make sense Joi. Why don't we look at what the people and nations of Europe are doing which makes the world a crappy place? Why not the focus on what the despots and terrorists in the mideast are doing and how that makes the world a crappy place? NO no, it must be the fault of the Americans, the country that has just liberated two nations in the past 4 years and has the most free culture in the world. The rest of the world is pissed because they've changed for the worse, following all this post-modern moral relativism, while we have largely stuck by our values -- values that have made us the greatest country on the face of the earth and which have inspired to fight for freedom the world over. you are welcome!

Scof, 64 - Please use intellectual honesty in your next argument. Then again, allegiance to intellectual honesty is what got Kerry in trouble in the first place. Hmmm....

I am ashamed to be an American today. My heart is broken. I spend the last few years trying to do my best to make up for all the things Bush and his cronies have done. I have tried to make up for the 1000 american lives, and the countless lives of the Arabs we justify murdering. I have tried to show people that if we want a society of life we have to stop killing the rest of the world. We claim that no one else can have weapons of mass destruction but we have killed more with them than any country. Today I wish I wasn't an american. Today I wish I was anything but an American. Today the blood of all the men and women who have died in these wars have spilled over on to the citizens. We decided it was our war. It was our War President. Today we have slain those soldiers, and those civilians. Today we have let the world down. Today, a part of my soul died. Today, another casualty was tallied. Good Luck America. May God have mercy on your soul.

explain please Mike. My point is: I'm tired of people thinking and blaming America first when it comes to the world's problems. America is, on net, responsible for preserving and fighting for much that is good in this world.

I was feeling unhappy and disheartened this morning by Kerry's defeat--I guess you find out who your friends are when you're down--the ones who kick you and urge their friends to join in are the absolute best because they're so morally pure.

It was nice reading your weblog, but of course we understand how you'll be quitting it. After all, you don't want to have to associate with Americans anymore -- now you can focus on the working with just the Japanese and the Europeans and the other countries who don't have problems with disassociation with their governments.

What's that? The Japanese government isn't you? Sorry, can't have it both ways.

Oh, and we understand how you'll be divesting from Six Apart because you don't to be associated with an American company. Because that means you'll have to deal with American people.

But it was nice knowing you Joi. Good luck in the heaven of your own creation.

To say that people 'failed to stop bush' doesn't really make sense. The people voted for the candidate they wanted, and he was Bush.

I've got to say, I think there are a lot of people on the line in this country, like me, who absolutely hate to try to make a choice between these candidates. I think the democrats failed to state a clear and convincing reason why people should vote for Kerry, tipping this horribly annoying decision in favor of Bush in the key states.

I am fiscally and morally conservative, though not particularly religious. I didn't want to vote for Bush because, although the republican platform calls for a limited federal government, support of individualism, personal responsibility, morality, and individual rights, fiscal restraint, and a strong defense, Bush only provided a strong offense, which may or may not be the same thing.

He lowered taxes, which I wanted, but didn't insist on cuts in all the other bloated socialized crap the federal government does, to compensate. He also doesn't make environmental protection a priority, which I think is only logical at this point.

But Kerry gets his support from blue-collar, union-affiliated people who want a bigger federal government, etc., etc. I cringe when I hear people talk at their convention, because I feel zero sympathy with all the whiners who make up the base of that party.

People on the line may have ended up voting for Bush because they are just not welcome in the throngs of chanting supporters of Michael Moore, et al. I can't stand that crap. I want conservatism, but I just think Bush is bad at politics and bad at being a real conservative.

I ended up voting for Kerry, but only by holding my nose and only as a punishment to Bush, in the hopes that the GOP would return to their proper principles... I still hope they might do that regardless...

Joi -

I think the reason people are reacting so strongly to your comment is that many of us have just realized that we are - profoundly - in the minority. After the 2000 election, those of us on the American left were able to console ourselves: we won the popular vote, the Supreme Court stole Florida from us, votes were supressed, and so on. If all the votes were counted - and if everyone had turned out to vote - we'd see that this country really is a liberal, open-minded, progressive sort of place.

Wrong. We got unprecedented turnout, and we lost. The people have spoken, and they're way more conservative than I am. Nothing demonstrated this to me more profoundly than the gay marriage bans - in the navy blue corner of my deep blue state where gay marriage is legal, it seems spiteful and barbarically retrogressive to prevent two people who love each other from getting married. But clearly that belief puts me in a depressingly small minority nationwide.

Your post gets under my skin because it implies that those of us on the far left should have just worked harder and we would have defeated Bush. I'm not sure that's true. Within my immediate circle of friends - diehard New England lefties - at least ten of us were more active in this election than in any past election. Here's the thing - none of us were in the least excited about Kerry. We took several big steps to the right to try to help push Bush out of office, signing up for a political platform that I, at least, had little common ground with.

If I follow your advice - "work harder and don't fail us again!" - I'm going to find myself supporting a party almost guaranteed to lurch further right. I predict that the 2008 democratic candidate will be pro-life and anti-gay. I'm going to have a very hard time supporting that person. What I'd like to do - and what I would do in a country that had a true multiparty democracy - is support a party closer to my own views. The electoral college system makes that a non-option in the US - Ross Perot, with 8% of the popular vote in 1996, got no electoral votes. And let's not even bring up Nader.

So what am I supposed to do, Joi? I'll be in Egypt and Jordan in two weeks. When I was last in Amman, men in coffee shops pulled me aside to say, "We love Americans, but we hate your president." I somehow doubt I'll encounter a point of view quite that nuanced now that the nation has given the President the mandate he previously lacked. As you point out, no one bothers to ask whether you're from the Japan that violated its own pacific principles to support the US invasion of Iraq, or from that "other Japan". Do I announce that I'm from the bluest of the blue states and that they shouldn't blame me?

Joi, your post hurts because I know it represents how much of the rest of the world feels and I just don't know what to do.

Mike b., 61 - Will see.

They hated us before the Bush administration. They hate us more during the Bush administration because we're destroying their ability to attack us. They'll hate us after Bush is gone.

The "winds of change" were supposed to be blowing with unprecedented strength this time. More people voted yesterday than ever before. The democrats assumed that most of the people that don't normally vote agree with them and they assumed wrong.

Another problem with the Democrat's strategy was that it's very hard to win an election only on hate for the opponent. Hillary Clinton's a senator because the New York republicans forgot that.

I didn't post to change anyone's mind. I know that those that hate Bush will continue to hate Bush no matter what I or anyone else says. Especially so soon after this election. You're entitled to your opinion as I am to mine.

Hopefully now that the election is over, we'll see less opinion stated as fact and less subjectivity stated as objectivity.

I only posted to point out that not all of us who support the Bush administration are hate mongering nuts.

David, 66 - well said.

Scof, 67 - America has caused more pain and suffering to the human race than Bin Laden, Hussein or any other purported "evildoer". You didn't liberate anything except your consience by blindly following what your pseudomedia tells you about the results of your actions.

People blame america first because it is responsible for much, MUCH more harm than good that has occured outside of its own borders. You'd do well to read up on American policy in Latin America, for example.

And contrary to what you might believe, "what is good in this world" and "what is good for American Interests" are very seldom the same thing.

In my opinion, the failure resulted from poor political judgements by Kerry and the leaders in Democratic Party. They should have focuced squarely on the most important problem of Bush, which is the war in Iraq. The majority of American have negative view on the war. The message was not clear and lacked intensity. Kerry should have challenged Bush much more cleary on the issue. For eaxmple, he could have said to American people " If you like what Bush did and is doing in Iraq, then vote for him. But, if you do not like what happened and is happening in Iraq, vote for me." Kerry failed to take advantage of Bush's biggest problem. Also, he failed to inspire average American.

Trevor, 70 -

It's difficult to say how much Michael Moore helped Kerry versus how much he hurt him. Still, I think that your post is a testament to fatal equivocation on the part of people who are intelligent and are in a position to bring about positive change.

Actually, this election was not about Republicans or Democrats. It wasn't really about the war. And it wasn't about about the economy.

This is the final step in the 20-year creeping coup by the theocrats, the Dominionists. In the House and the Senate, the theocrats made dramatic advances, far beyond the number of seats that switched parties. On the GOP side, they have replaced moderates with zealots, and have significantly strengthened the support for the main theocrat bills that will be reintroduced in the new Congress.

You can hear it in the media's codewords: this election did NOT turn on Iraq or the economy or security, it turned on "moral values", the politically correct code-word for theocratic values, i.e., placing one's religion above the laws of man. Polls show that "moral values" were the most common #1 concern among voters, and that among those who marked "moral values" as their primary concern, 80% voted for Bush. Every state that had a same-sex marriage ban up for decision voted the theocrat way.

America has failed no one. In fact, America has triumphed. You may not agree with our choice, but even if America had failed someone you would not be among them. Our political system is supposed to serve the needs of the majority of the American people. The two key words there are majority and American. Our political system worked wonderfully yesterday - not because I voted for Bush (I didn't) but because the will of the majority was done. America isn't perfect but it is a government of the people, for the people and by the people. Our country now faces the difficult challenge of finding common ground and establishing unity with one another. The beauty of America is that there will be no civil war, no coup d'etat. What there will be now is 280 million people figuring out how to fix the problems before us in a concilatory fashion. It is also arrogant to suggest 60 million Americans "got it wrong". These people voted with the hearts and their minds and did what they thought was the best for their country. In the face of such important issues as American homeland security, abortion, war and peace in the Middle East, and the American and global economy it is no easy thing to choose the better candidate between two flawed men. I don't see how you can be so sure you know what's best for America, the rest of the world, or even Japan.

Ethan - thank you. As I sit here shell shocked at what's just happened, and slightly irked by this post, I thank you for putting into words exactly how I'm feeling right now.

Reading the comments left in response to your post has saddened me. To hear an American say he is "ashamed of being an American today" makes my stomach turn. David 66, what does it mean to be an American? Does it mean that when you don't get your way in an election you practically disavow your allegiance? Will you renounce your citizenship since you are ashamed of being an American? If you go abroad will you tell people you're Canadian? Will your foresake the sacrifice so many men and women in uniform made so that all of us - you included - could vote for your candidate yesterday? Will you burn the flag? Of course, I'm not suggesting you will do any of these things. I'm merely illustrating how profound the words you chose to write really are. While my candidate lost the election, I'm glad to live in a place where I can speak freely and disagree with the government without having to worry about my family being tortured or a bullet being put into the back of my head. My family hails from Cuba where they fled a government that did exactly that. My father who has lived in America for 45 years has still not become a citizen. He pays taxes and works hard and genuinely cares about America, but he was born a Cuban and he will die a Cuban in exile. He cannot fathom renouncing his allegiance to his homeland or speaking ill of the place of his birth. He may despise its current form of government but 45 years in exile have taught him patience, and that the sun will continue to rise and set. He remains dedicated to the vision of a free Cuba and is an inspiration to me. He emobdies the best of what it means to be a true patriot. Rather than being ashamed of being an American perhaps you should dedicate yourself to making it a better place. Voting isn't the only way to do it. The world becomes better one person, one act at a time. Will you sow the seeds of hate today or of compassion, conciliation, and hope? We are not a nation of war mongers and bigots. We are a nation of optimistic people; we are human; we are flawed. The majority Americans voted for a man who makes them feel safe. They did not vote for him becuase they want to see death and suffering - they voted for him because they want the people of Iraq to enjoy the freedoms so many of us take for granted. Call them naive if you will, but I will call them optimists. We Americans don't want to harm anyone. We don't give a shit about oil. We want to see Iraq hold free elections just as the Afghans did - just as we did. We want to help them establish a democracy where all Iraqis can choose their leaders and hold them accountable. We all want this. We just disagree on how to do it and who can do it better. For those of you who are not Americans and may read this - don't hate us, work with us. Let's debate, let's philosophize, let's agree, let's disagree, but let's work hard at trying to solve our differences with respect, honesty, and let's hope those who really do hate freedom will never prevail.