After watching Election 2004 through the night hoping for an Ohioan lead forSenator Kerryand waking up this morning to find out that Kerry conceded Ohio, it was a mixture of anger and relief. Relief that we wouldn't have to wait an agonizing 10 or so days to find out the results of the Presidency, and anger that Kerry couldn't wait until the absentee ballots (if not the provisional ballots) were counted. I believe that the absentee ballots are valid and should count toward the total (for either candidate) because the ballotsare from real voters who are to be out-of-state for the election (Military, students, etc.) and if it tips or doesnt tip the balance, then so be it. I don't know for a fact if Ohio is going to continue to count the absentees/provisionals after Kerry conceded the state, but I hope they will.
As for my title, it is addressed to Calliander and to all the people who are the Half who fought against Bush and feel complete defeat now that it has been projected that Bush is our Presidentagain. I want to point out that Bush did not win by a landslide, and that half the nation (which is not a insignificant number, by any means) does not want Bush in office. In one of the many election articles I read, a lot of voters that were not inclined for Kerry voted for him mainly because they did not want another 4 years of the Bush administration. And even though every vote was fought for by both parties, in the states that didnt already have a bias towards one candidate or another, the percentages usually read about half for either Bush or Kerry, coming to that final glaring total of 51% Bush to 48% Kerry. That 51% for Bush (because of Ohio leverage) to Kerrys 48% means that the country is seriously divided in both action and thought, and as a whole, the nation does not support what Bush has already done or said he will try to do. I feel optimism that if Bush tries anything drastic, whether it be sending more troops to Iraq, banning abortion, or most disturbingly, trying to get emergency powers bestowed upon him in the name of the war, that there will be real opposition. I dont think that the American people will just stand idly by and let Bush lead us by the nose. I believe that if it comes down to it, as was shown by the record numbers of voters this Election Day, that this is a generation that will act.
The Half Have Spoken.
~Sapphire