Election Autopsy: Two Reader Viewpoints on what it all Means

Nov. 10, 2004

A Divided Land
I am sure you are aware that the countless volunteers for the Kerry campaign are feeling quite devastated right now. As someone said on the Larry King show, many of us feel like expatriates in our own nation. We have to face the fact that we live in a culturally divided land and that a majority of our fellow citizens (a tiny majority at that) do not share our values.
Hence there is great alienation in the land. How can there be a healing in America if moral compromise is considered evil by our opponents? It seems to be an all or nothing battle.
This vast cultural divide is clearly more relevant to our political culture than any particular issue. It seems to be both intractable and troubling.
Perhaps prayer from both sides, asking for divine guidance will deliver our nation from this peril.
Hope springs eternal in the hearts of men.
I am devastated and feel like a stranger in my own country. Yet as Senator Kerry said, someday we WILL cast ballots that will change the world. Our efforts were not in vain.
We are living history right now and even though we did not succeed in this race, victory surely belongs to those who pursue righteous causes. We live in an age where those proclaiming the name of Christ are “choking on gnats and swallowing camels.” It is our duty to expose the moral hypocrisy of the religious right and to regain the moral highground.
Democrats and progressive independants can do this if we are not afraid of engaging in moral polemics with our adversaries. It has been stated that Democrats emphasize social morality (war on poverty, civil liberties etc.) while Republicans emphasize personal morality ( fidelity to marriage etc.).
In order to recapture a large portion of the American electorate, Democrats need to address issues of personal morality without sacrificing our desire for civil liberties and equality before the law. The only criticism I have of my fellow liberals is that many times we are so afraid of making any moral judgements that our message becomes unclear or murky.
We can no longer relinquish moral battles. We need to continue to address “the issues,” but all issues have a moral dimension to them. In fact morality is the coinage of the realm regarding any political discourse.
If we as liberals can take charge of this ongoing moral debate in this nation we will win. The truth is really on our side.
It’s been a long hard road since late March when I and a few others held our first Kerry “Meet Up” at Northwoods Restaurant. All of us have been through too much to simply wither away after November 2nd.
As Senator Kennedy said in 1980 after he lost to Jimmy Carter “The dream shall never die.”
The cause for social justice will always continue. We are at the high water mark for the Republicans right now. But as the Bible says “this too shall pass.” I cannot imagine a repeat of this situation four years from now.
Let us take up our causes and hold them dear. Let us maintain contact with one another. Let us continue to collaberate even during an off year like 2005. It is during these dark times that we have an even stronger obligation to preserve ourselves and to comfort the weak among us who are in even greater need of compassion.

Brian R Morgan • Gaylord

Some Friendly Advice
Well, the man frequently referred to as “Hitler” won convincingly. Since 1968 the Democrats have only had two presidents elected. Since 1994 the Democrats have lost more House, Senate and governor seats.
Are any of you Bush haters honest enough to admit a trend here? If not, here are some commonly believed liberal myths that were disproved on Tuesday;
Myth: Higher turnout benefits Democrats
Reality: The election of 2004 had the highest turnout in history with 120 million voters. President Bush won with the highest vote total EVER and the first majority since 1988. Do any of you still have delusional thoughts of “voter suppression”?
Myth: Republicans don’t care about the environment.
Reality: How do you explain the overwhelming support for the Open Space proposal? Grand Traverse County voted 60% for Bush, yet supported preserving precious farmland and shoreline for the public to enjoy.
Conservatives are all for common sense conservation. What conservatives are AGAINST are extremist environmental policies based on junk science such as “global warming” and the “Kyoto Treaty,” which would destroy our economy.
Myth: George Bush wrecked the economy, dirtied the air and water, and rushed to war.
Really? Name me a president who won an election with a bad economy. Where’s the evidence that the air and water is “dirtier”?
Are you telling me that corporations don’t pollute under Democrat presidents? Rushed to war? The same war John Kerry voted for?
I actually want two strong parties in this country. I think it’s healthy to have political checks and balances. The far left factions of the Democratic party need to understand they THEY are the ones who are extremists and out of touch with most of America. This election PROVES this. This is a country that believes in defending itself whether or not the United Nations join us. This is a country that believes in freedom OF religion not freedom FROM religion. This is a country that believes that tax-cuts are generally good and are not jealous if successful people share in the tax cuts.
If Democrats want to win elections in the future they have to be honest with themselves. You can’t win support by referring to people who disagree with you as “homophobes,” “bigots,” “racists” and “fascists.” You can’t defeat an opponent if you don’t respect them. You can’t send out people who hate America like Michael Moore and George Soros to convince undecided voters to your side. You can‘t continue to believe “old media” outlets like CBS who used forged documents to alter an election... or the Associated Press who put out phony exit polling numbers that showed a “Kerry landslide.” You can’t forbid pro-life Democrats (Joe Lieberman) from having a say in your party while pro-choice Republicans (Colin Powell, Rudy Giuliani) are prominent in theirs.
If the Democrats don’t believe and understand these trends, then we are truly headed to a one party system.

Steve Yenshaw • TC