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This is just the kind of thing I need to help lift me from my post-election blues.

I was laboring under a misconception of vast proportions, of which I have lately been soundly and painfully disabused. I believed that George W. Bush — through the politically nefarious connivance of the Courts — stole the 2000 election, pretended to his office, deceived Congress into granting him authority to wage an illegal and unprovoked war, turned his back on the civilized world community, then deceived the American people to send their sons and daughters to die for nothing in particular.

I believed that, through ongoing deceit and for inscrutable personal and political reasons, our troops have remained – quagmired – in an escalating occupation of counter-insurgency, now against the will of Congress and the American people.

I believed that the corrupt impetus of all this sad bloodshed – not to mention unfathomable domestic incompetence – had come to light, so that the people could see that, whatever it is, it was never so righteous and essential as Bush claimed it to be.I believed that we were the good guys, that once it was shown that we attacked a country that was no real threat to us, killed many of its children, and secreted its citizens in camps – without human rights or due process of law – Americans would rise up – at least as a majority of reasonable people – and hurl this man and his minions from power.

The election of George W. Bush, to serve now as legitimate president, is nothing less than a resounding ratification of his fascist, protectionist policies. He is not, as I supposed, a radical leader dragging an unwilling and ultimately benign society into a turmoil of misguided violence, isolation, and divisive chaos. While there are certainly many among us who recoil at the antisocial, self-righteous, sometimes cruel acceleration of our Orwellian national juggernaut, there are far more who approve. It turns out that Americans would rather follow a straight-talking idiot than an intellectual statesman. The Nascar Dads, NRA misfits, and homophobes must have their good old boy, come what may. Thus, it is not a rogue presidency that we see stampeding into the new century, but a rogue nation.

Perhaps its just as well that Kerry didn’t win. He’s too much a statesman to heave aloft The Lord of the Flies on its spike for the cheering crowd. As for me, we still have the First Amendment, for now. I hope there will always be dissenters, tapping out futile calls for reserve and moderation, from the ruins of a city on a hill.

Well, I’ll go ahead and say it. Don’t like to, don’t want to, haven’t said it since 1973. But I don’t see any choice. So many have died. So many lies have been hatched out of hell. I’m reluctant only because I love my country and its institutions, and I’m the kind of guy who questions but respects authority. But here goes:

For me, this has always been a fight against the ubiquitous violence, greed, and fascism that, while defining this administration, have always been a subtle pulse in the arteries of western civilization as it declines. While the ratification of this fear-mongering, divisionary presidency is a touch I do confess – the ultimate issue hasn’t changed. Our legacy to the next generation is corrupt, marked by economic anemia, environmental destruction, and a fascism of fear. I look at the children, and cannot imagine this is what they will inherit. I cannot pass on such a rotten gift.

Does anyone have any predictions for the tone of the election in 2008?

I’m listening to Kerry’s concession speech live as I sit here. To the American people, he says, “I will never forget you and I’ll never stop fighting for you.” He’s a gentleman and a statesman. I feel so betrayed and disappointed by the American people today. How could so many be so myopic? Well, the fight against arrogant war, economic indifference, environmental avarice, and civil fascism, begins anew.

Endeavor to Persevere.

Edwards was just on TV, saying they intend to see that every vote is counted. Damn straight. Speaking of which, what happened to Florida? They got mugged last time; this time they just threw their wallet in the street. I hoped for some pissed off democrats down there.

… anything to get me to wake up from this nightmare. Freddie’s still out there … it’s y2k all over again.

Use this page to keep track of things tonight … and into the litigation, if any. Looks like things are off to a good start for my team.

I’m back. Got my little “I voted” sticker on my shirt — somewhere north of my left lung, if not my heart. So — along with the rest of the blogs calling the plays today — I have returned to tell you all what I learned at the clubhouse of the mobile home park down the street, closer to the creek, which is my polling place.

First of all, I walked in and the people at the table said Hi. There was no line; never seen a line to vote in this town. There were about six voting stations set up, and the machine that sucks away your ballot into the abyss. (We have paper ballots here, marked with a navy ink, felt-tip pen.) Three of the six stations — styrofoam and cardboard, just like on TV — were empty. I chose one by the door.

I eavesdropped as I completed the ballot, using a cheat sheet I’d filled out at home and folded into my pocket. What I, the consumate vigilant and astute blogger, can report is this: No one in that polling place was doing, saying, wearing, or displaying anything which could be construed to denote a political cause or opinion of any kind. Except that, when he handed me the sticker for my shirt, one man said, “You can wear this with pride.”

The topic of the day was how long we’ve all lived in our little town, and how much it’s changed. Alas, this, for the most part, can’t be blamed on George W. Bush.

That’s it. We’ll see how my observations play out as the night wears on. God help us all, and bless America. And I’ll leave you with this, which I heard Molly Ivins say on C-Span last night:

“It’s always a pain in the ass when the Klan shows up.”

Haloscan commenting and trackback have been added to this blog.

Changed the look of it again. Didn’t want to, but that other html template was causing me a bad mental rash. So I changed to a simpler template. To heck with aesthetics tonight. This one will Git-R-Done.

Yahoo! News – Bush, Kerry Sprint Toward Finish Line: “

‘This election comes down to who do you trust,’ Bush said as Air Force One carried him to a half-dozen states on a final full day of campaigning. “

Boy, truer words were never spoken. Imagine them coming from the mouth of the biggest liar ever to mislead this country. I can’t wait to vote tomorrow. But I dread tomorrow night. I may just have to rent a movie, or hide under the bed until it’s over.