Why I'm a pessimist for 2004 :(

[jimbot]

I preface this with...I have had entirely too much wine tonight...but.
I have somewhat lost faith in the U.S. voter. It saddens me to say this, but I think as voters we are:
1. dumb
2. overly influenced by television
3. overly fearful

I was talking to my wing-nut neighbor and realized that at this point in time:
-I don't know anyone that voted for Bush stated that they changed their mind for 2004 (I thought he was a moron then and I still do).
-We have never had a biological, chemical, attack in this country, yet we invaded another nation due to their "threat".
-There is no grand media conspiracy, but we are so beholden to corporate interests that the major media is afraid to report on anything that might cause a reduction in profits.

My neighbor has been unemployed for 1 year, has no job prospects on the horizon and still loves that smug little imbecile leader we have.

My projection is this:
...it will have to get far worse (e.g., U3 unemployment > 10%) before the retards in this country stop blaming Clinton.

I hope I am wrong...I hope we win Congress, the Senate, or the Presidency in 2004...but I highly doubt it. If we do, I promise to be an optimist for the rest of my natural life, but until then, I am bitter and angry.

I'm not sure why I'm venting this much...It is probably the wine.

--JT

[izzie]

1. Well they say money always wins and Bush has a lot of money.

n/t

[are_we_united_yet]

2. JT

I also have been pessimistic about 2004. But I hope you are heartened by latest flack the conservatives are taking about lying about WMD not to mention 9/11 stonewalling.

[lcordero]

3. Heh

I think the future looks bright for the Democrats. If there is no cheating, I think that we can get a filibuster-proof Democratic majority in the Senate.

[DieboldMustDie]

9. I hate to burst your bubble...

but to do that we'd have to win 30 of the 34 seats up for grabs.

[Davis_X_Machina]

4. I tend to agree with you...

...especially about the fear.

The classic pattern seems to be a xenophobic husband ("Kill those Moslems, it'll just save trouble later") and a petrified wife ("Those awful Arabs are going to hit Bath Iron Works or the Brunswick Naval Air Station with a dirty bomb and kill us all.")

(Me, I'm more worried about nailing a moose on the Turnpike.)

That, plus a little Jesus-talk and a little homophobia, seems to be enough to keep them on the Bush reservation.

I'm glad that there aren't enough of them to carry this state -- it's going Democratic in 2004 -- but not everyone is lucky enough to live in Maine, The Way Life Should Be.

[jimbot]

6. Home makes me happier

Yep, I'm happy that I live in Maine,where even our republican senators are better than the rest of their party (not endorsing them, but I have some respect for Snowe). I remember talking with my now deceased mother-in-law in the last election when she informed me that voting for Bush would "allow you to pick your own doctor," implying that voting for Gore wouldn't. I was so floored that I felt sorry for her and didn't go into attack mode. I just said nothing and realized that there are many ill-informed people on this planet.

It is also heartening to see all the responses to my first discussion post :)

--JT

[Dagaz]

5. You seem like a realist

Although I don't think the average person blames Clinton. Most people understand that there is a business cycle and don't blame anyone. The polls say that 60% (maybe more) do think that Bush should do more for the economy even though they have overall favorables so the economy is squarely on Bush now. It'll all depend on what the market is like in a year. If everyone's 401k is still in the tank then there's a chance that people will turn but if it's up again I agree with you.

Also, I read about the "soccer mom's" being replaced by "office park Dad's" in Time ??? maybe. The theory was that Democrats need to target more men and there are many who need corporations to pay their salary and support their family and don't like the corporate attacks. I'm one who thinks that the attacks should be targeted at Corporate corruption not profits.

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Tonight, I am more optimistic than I have been in a long time

The monkey has his tail caught in a wringer now.

[are_we_united_yet]

8. I agree

It looks like a fight for once

[Redleg]

10. Never underestimate the stupidity of those who voted for Bush the

first time. They will do it again.

[RummyTheDummy]

11. The truth is.....

We all have our doubts about 2004 deep down. That's not saying we can't win, but if you look at 2004 and can honestly say with every fiber of your being that you have no doubts you're simply unrealistic, stupid or naive. That goes for everyone from Dean supporters to the Braun Brigade.

[Davis_X_Machina]

12. The Braun Brigade...

...isn't that more like the Braun Battalion, reinforced?