veto

VOTE
* some thoughts about the challenge: the repugs were disgusting, of course. so were most of the dems. so is the process. 'the people' and the internets did a remarkable job, but it just doesnt matter - there is simply no way to break through, which basically means that 'it' is all over. where 'it' = the 04 election, and where 'it' = democracy, and where 'it' = any semblance of sanity. i didnt really expect anything to come of today, other than hope that there was a challenge in order to give some impetus to some people on the streets, and some momentum for the next ohio recount (and others), and some legs to moss.v.bush and whatnot. but alas. the inauguration will probably be messy, but that will also be hidden. again.

nonetheless, it was an historic event, and a worthwhile effort for everyone involved. bless their sorry hearts. the newspapers friday signal the end of the end - and they either confirm that the media was correct all along to ignore the story, or confirm that they are all complicit.

it strikes me that the historic challenge of the vote, effectively the first since 1877, which puts another question mark (or even an asterisk) on this administration, in what was widely (if hyperbolically) touted as 'the most important election of our lifetime' was at least worthy of some mention on the front page of the newspapers - whatever one thinks of the merits of the challenge.

www.nytimes.com scores best with the 3rd story in its Washington section with the relatively brave headline "Congress Ratifies Bush Victory After a Rare Challenge"

www.latimes.com gives us the anodyne headline "Boxer Poses a Challenge, Briefly" - about 20 stories in.

www.washingtonpost.com, not one for hyperbole, today, offers us "Congress Makes Reelection Official"

and not one of those stories mentions the conyers report.

and of course, only cspan covered it (live - ive hardly seen a story elsewhere either)

and the tsunami isnt taking up any space today. or iraq. - instead weve got a 40 year old murder story and a weak tenet story and a prison reform story - and equally anodyne gonzales headlines (at least this is a real story) "Gonzales Defends His White House Record" and "Gonzales Speaks Against Torture During Hearing" and "Senators Quiz Gonzales About Torture Policy"

25% of 'present' democrat House members voted to reject the election results - which is presumably pretty big news. matsui's funeral was on today - and therefore (separately?), 40% of dem reps didnt even turn up - who knows how they may have voted. we could also say that only 44% of dems actually certified the result. (80% of repugs were there). lies lies statistics. at a minimum, we know that 15% of dem reps actively contested the election, despite the futility, and despite the career cost et al. they prolly represent a fair number of people - officially obejecting to the election results - and we get headlines like ""Boxer Poses a Challenge, Briefly""

i wonder what sort of media attention the certification would have got if it wasnt for the challenge - given the egadmins propensity for pomp and mandates and stuff - cf inauguration and nyc convention. (2000 prolly isnt a useful benchmark.)

and then we have the stupid demsenators - even those 10 who spoke out on the floor in favour of the challenge couldnt actually vote for it. flip. flop. less than 75% of senators actually voted in favour. at least. lies lies statistics.

i truly hope the dem party simply folds tomorrow - praps the somnolent will then realise what is being said at the state of the nation address. and at a minimum, the poor honest demfolk wont have to suffer the ugliness of false hope. can u imagine if this disgusting process is repeated in 08 prior to arnie or jebs coronation. or 43s recoronation. and realpeople can save themselves the cost and ignominy of donating either time or effort or funds. and we'll all be screaming 'run, ralph, run'. in atonement. or hope. or something. and unclearchannel will be playing appropriated emminem tracks, while fauxnews somehow spins f911 as a parody of how some people used to think (of course, itll be pre-empted by mmooore's appearance on leno (?) in a suit telling people that furiousgeorge had won and that dems should get over it) - and in the back of my mind will be a quote i heard a few years ago from a soviet cit saying "u americans are so silly - at least we used to *know* that we were being fed propaganda - but it was okay - cos we'd learnt how to decipher it"

* but today was a good day to the extent that itll save some of us in the future. boxer said today "it was a mistake not to object four years ago." and "I think this is the first time in my life I ever voted alone in the United States Senate, and I have to tell you, I think it was the right thing to do," (http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/07/politics/07elect.html) - at least those of us who tried will only be wistful in the future, not regretful. its not much, and we'll wish that we had done more, but for that reason alone, it was a good day. besides, its all we've got.

* it might be time to register reallysorryeverybody.com

* btw - the repugs kept making mmooore references today - that may have been a good idea to re-win-over their base - but not a great idea to convince anyone that has actually seen the movie. its like they were in a re-run. i can only hope that the *other* f911 scene that was surprising cos *even i* hadnt seen it b4 was the inauguration scene - where 34's car got trashed.

* cute repug references today - xfiles and godzilla. gotta hate them hollywood types. the only fun bit was that delay had to reach for the hyperbolic stars. protestething.

* do we now live in a fascist or theocratic state? can they co-exist? Gott Mitt Uns.

* why didnt the germans do something?

* tsports still has repugs in 08 @ about 50%. i dont know their interest rate policy. and hillary at about 2/1 to be dem nominee - prolly under 5/1 to be pres. give yer kids the best education and house and retirement munny can buy.

* blackwell may still rot in jail. well, not actually 'rot' - itll be like one of those mob boss cells - with jacuzzi, and cable. till he gets pardoned.

fuck.
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