American had voted. The results were tabulated. Now it was time for the moment of truth. O.U.T.R.A.G.E. members were ready to announce the results of the vote to the nation. Cameras focused on the large American flag still adorning the one wall of the huge, still-unidentified building known only as "O.U.T.R.A.G.E. headquarters". Other cameras picked up activity on the floor, as O.U.T.R.A.G.E. members milled around in what appeared to be an atmosphere of joviality.
Occasionally, a camera would pick up a large display showing results of popular votes from the two most recent national elections. The 2000 election marked the fourth time in American history that a Presidential candidate won the election while losing the popular vote. George W. Bush had received only 47.9% of the vote (50,460,110) compared to Al Gore's 48.4% of the vote (51,003,926). Bush won 271 of the Electoral votes while Gore only earned 266 (one vote in abstentia accounted for the 538th electoral vote). Lesser-known candidates still garnered almost four million votes. Nader, Buchanan, Browne, Phillips, Hagelin, and others captured less than 4% of the total. Since Texas allows write-in candidates, H. Ross Perot even received nine votes in 2000. The controversy over the "stolen" election enraged many, and generated more furious discussion about the need for abolishing the Electoral College. Many believed the electoral system to be rigged, antiquated, and unnecessary in this modern day and age. Many others believed that George W. Bush, with the help of his brother, Jeb (governor of Florida, where a recount was mandated) and the power and influence of his family among U.S. Supreme Court judges, created a suspect environment, susceptible to fraud and manipulation. Of the 105,417,258 voters in 2000, many felt there votes had been stolen or neglected as the powerful interests within the beltway dictated who was going to be the next U.S. President.
In 2004, Bush won re-election under equally suspicious circumstances. His Democratic opponent, John Kerry, chose the same course as had Al Gore four years earlier. Aggressive dispute over the outcome seemed a reckless and risky venture, which would only serve to tear the country apart at a critical juncture in its history. In the middle of a "war" with Iraq, which many Americans considered to be an illegal and unconstitutional invasion of another sovereign country, more sober minds thought it better not to disrupt the status quo and further divide the nation. Bush had received 50.7% of the popular vote this time (62,040,610) compared to Kerry's 48.3% (59,028,111). Bush earned 286 of the 538 Electoral College votes (only 270 were needed to win). The remaining 1% of the popular vote was divided between Nader, Badnank, Peroutka, Cobb, and other candidates who had managed to get on some states' ballots. Howard Dean received 42 write-in votes. Ironically, since the state of Texas allowed write-in votes, George H.W. Bush had matched Ross Perot's numbers from 2000: nine people had voted for America's 41st President, father of the newly re-elected President, George W. Bush. Of the 122,293,332 voters in 2004, many - again - felt their votes had been stolen or neglected as the powerful interests inside the beltway dictated who was going to be the next U.S. President.
Before the mid-term elections in the fall of 2006, George W. Bush would see his approval ratings drop to an astonishing 29% with only 12% of Americans believing that the country was "headed in the right direction". Vice-President Dick Cheney's approval ratings were even lower. The Iraqi war raged on with no equitable resolve in sight. North Korea launched several missiles on July 4, 2006, at precisely the same time an American space shuttle was launched. War broke out between Israel and Lebanon, which created yet another distraction for the Bush administration. Iran continued to be a thorn in the Bush administration's side with the possibility of another invasion pending. Al Gore released a movie about global warming, which caused the scientific community to applaud its candor and accuracy, while Bush stuck his head in the sand and refused to accept the fact that global warming was becoming a serious ecological issue that had to be addressed. In late July, 2006, a renowned government scientist appeared on a '60 Minutes' segment, claiming that his research showed we had only a ten-year window of opportunity in which to combat the problems related to global warming; otherwise the consequences would be irreversible. Even more serious were his accusations that Bush administration lawyers were 'editing' every speech he wrote, every symposium he conducted, or any remarks he made - in a desperate effort to sanitize his predictions so that George W. Bush could continue to protect the oil companies' profit interests at the expense of the planet's environment and the health and safety of future generations.
Finally, at 10:03 a.m. Wednesday, March 5, Colin Powell and John McCain appeared in front of the cameras, the giant U.S. flag behind them. "We are pleased to announce the results of yesterday's interim election," Powell said straightforwardly. "First of all, you should know that 3,212,190 more of you voted in this election than in 2004. The total number of voters who cast ballots was 125,505,522, compared with 122,293,332 in 2004. We are also pleased to confirm that an overwhelming majority voted in the affirmative: 110,987,622 voted "Yea" - 14,517,900 voted 'Nay". We believe this to be a mandate, a sign that Americans want unity, leadership, and reformation. More than 87% of you have put your trust, faith and confidence in two men who were - rather reluctantly - recruited for one of the most challenging missions ever to be attempted into the history of our great nation. We will need your help....we will need God's help. What we are now charged with doing must be a collaborative effort involving every citizen, every local government, and every state administration. We are one nation under God - and, under God, one nation will we remain."
Senator John McCain, now Interim Vice-President of the United States of America, faced the camera with a stern look on his otherwise smile-filled face. "I am happy to report that all twenty-five resolutions, as amended and written as pieces of formal, legal legislation, have been approved by the electorate, all in overwhleming majorities. We will use our venerable U.S. Constitution, and these new articles of resolution as a basis for reforming our country and returning our nation to its rightful position as a world leader and global peacekeeper. The job of rebuilding begins today, and we pledge our unconditional support and unwavering commitment to that job. As Interim President Powell just told you, we need your help...and we need God's help. The Democratic and Republican political parties, indeed, corrupted our political system, put a stranglehold on how our elections were conducted, and contributed to the demise of America's sense of patriotism and the people's right to choose. Powerful, monied, influential individuals sqaundered America's richness and abused our nation's privilege. Just as the debauchery of ancient Greeks and Romans, our country was headed down a derelict path of self-ruin. O.U.T.R.A.G.E. saw the only solution as 'killing off the fat cats' and returning America to its heritage of a country led by its countrymen instead of an oligarchy of piquant and pretentious primogenitures who believed it was their right and their ancestory which allowed them to exploit the very purpose and reason of our union. That circumstance must never come to exist again, for it threatens the very foundation of our nation. We humbly request that you pour yourself into this process of renewal."
There was little hoopla, none of the typical victory shouts and cat calls when a candidate is declared a winner. The celebration was subdued, almost somber. Powell and McCain recognized they were not 'personalities' elected because of their good looks or media-induced hyperbole. They were recruited because the United States was in crisis, and faced a state of emergency as it never known before. All new leadership would have to be created. A profound idealism and renewed optimism had to be instilled within the electorate. Never again could corruption, arrogance, avarice, hubris, sloth and apathy take over the American psyche and infest the American political system. Never again......
Occasionally, a camera would pick up a large display showing results of popular votes from the two most recent national elections. The 2000 election marked the fourth time in American history that a Presidential candidate won the election while losing the popular vote. George W. Bush had received only 47.9% of the vote (50,460,110) compared to Al Gore's 48.4% of the vote (51,003,926). Bush won 271 of the Electoral votes while Gore only earned 266 (one vote in abstentia accounted for the 538th electoral vote). Lesser-known candidates still garnered almost four million votes. Nader, Buchanan, Browne, Phillips, Hagelin, and others captured less than 4% of the total. Since Texas allows write-in candidates, H. Ross Perot even received nine votes in 2000. The controversy over the "stolen" election enraged many, and generated more furious discussion about the need for abolishing the Electoral College. Many believed the electoral system to be rigged, antiquated, and unnecessary in this modern day and age. Many others believed that George W. Bush, with the help of his brother, Jeb (governor of Florida, where a recount was mandated) and the power and influence of his family among U.S. Supreme Court judges, created a suspect environment, susceptible to fraud and manipulation. Of the 105,417,258 voters in 2000, many felt there votes had been stolen or neglected as the powerful interests within the beltway dictated who was going to be the next U.S. President.
In 2004, Bush won re-election under equally suspicious circumstances. His Democratic opponent, John Kerry, chose the same course as had Al Gore four years earlier. Aggressive dispute over the outcome seemed a reckless and risky venture, which would only serve to tear the country apart at a critical juncture in its history. In the middle of a "war" with Iraq, which many Americans considered to be an illegal and unconstitutional invasion of another sovereign country, more sober minds thought it better not to disrupt the status quo and further divide the nation. Bush had received 50.7% of the popular vote this time (62,040,610) compared to Kerry's 48.3% (59,028,111). Bush earned 286 of the 538 Electoral College votes (only 270 were needed to win). The remaining 1% of the popular vote was divided between Nader, Badnank, Peroutka, Cobb, and other candidates who had managed to get on some states' ballots. Howard Dean received 42 write-in votes. Ironically, since the state of Texas allowed write-in votes, George H.W. Bush had matched Ross Perot's numbers from 2000: nine people had voted for America's 41st President, father of the newly re-elected President, George W. Bush. Of the 122,293,332 voters in 2004, many - again - felt their votes had been stolen or neglected as the powerful interests inside the beltway dictated who was going to be the next U.S. President.
Before the mid-term elections in the fall of 2006, George W. Bush would see his approval ratings drop to an astonishing 29% with only 12% of Americans believing that the country was "headed in the right direction". Vice-President Dick Cheney's approval ratings were even lower. The Iraqi war raged on with no equitable resolve in sight. North Korea launched several missiles on July 4, 2006, at precisely the same time an American space shuttle was launched. War broke out between Israel and Lebanon, which created yet another distraction for the Bush administration. Iran continued to be a thorn in the Bush administration's side with the possibility of another invasion pending. Al Gore released a movie about global warming, which caused the scientific community to applaud its candor and accuracy, while Bush stuck his head in the sand and refused to accept the fact that global warming was becoming a serious ecological issue that had to be addressed. In late July, 2006, a renowned government scientist appeared on a '60 Minutes' segment, claiming that his research showed we had only a ten-year window of opportunity in which to combat the problems related to global warming; otherwise the consequences would be irreversible. Even more serious were his accusations that Bush administration lawyers were 'editing' every speech he wrote, every symposium he conducted, or any remarks he made - in a desperate effort to sanitize his predictions so that George W. Bush could continue to protect the oil companies' profit interests at the expense of the planet's environment and the health and safety of future generations.
Finally, at 10:03 a.m. Wednesday, March 5, Colin Powell and John McCain appeared in front of the cameras, the giant U.S. flag behind them. "We are pleased to announce the results of yesterday's interim election," Powell said straightforwardly. "First of all, you should know that 3,212,190 more of you voted in this election than in 2004. The total number of voters who cast ballots was 125,505,522, compared with 122,293,332 in 2004. We are also pleased to confirm that an overwhelming majority voted in the affirmative: 110,987,622 voted "Yea" - 14,517,900 voted 'Nay". We believe this to be a mandate, a sign that Americans want unity, leadership, and reformation. More than 87% of you have put your trust, faith and confidence in two men who were - rather reluctantly - recruited for one of the most challenging missions ever to be attempted into the history of our great nation. We will need your help....we will need God's help. What we are now charged with doing must be a collaborative effort involving every citizen, every local government, and every state administration. We are one nation under God - and, under God, one nation will we remain."
Senator John McCain, now Interim Vice-President of the United States of America, faced the camera with a stern look on his otherwise smile-filled face. "I am happy to report that all twenty-five resolutions, as amended and written as pieces of formal, legal legislation, have been approved by the electorate, all in overwhleming majorities. We will use our venerable U.S. Constitution, and these new articles of resolution as a basis for reforming our country and returning our nation to its rightful position as a world leader and global peacekeeper. The job of rebuilding begins today, and we pledge our unconditional support and unwavering commitment to that job. As Interim President Powell just told you, we need your help...and we need God's help. The Democratic and Republican political parties, indeed, corrupted our political system, put a stranglehold on how our elections were conducted, and contributed to the demise of America's sense of patriotism and the people's right to choose. Powerful, monied, influential individuals sqaundered America's richness and abused our nation's privilege. Just as the debauchery of ancient Greeks and Romans, our country was headed down a derelict path of self-ruin. O.U.T.R.A.G.E. saw the only solution as 'killing off the fat cats' and returning America to its heritage of a country led by its countrymen instead of an oligarchy of piquant and pretentious primogenitures who believed it was their right and their ancestory which allowed them to exploit the very purpose and reason of our union. That circumstance must never come to exist again, for it threatens the very foundation of our nation. We humbly request that you pour yourself into this process of renewal."
There was little hoopla, none of the typical victory shouts and cat calls when a candidate is declared a winner. The celebration was subdued, almost somber. Powell and McCain recognized they were not 'personalities' elected because of their good looks or media-induced hyperbole. They were recruited because the United States was in crisis, and faced a state of emergency as it never known before. All new leadership would have to be created. A profound idealism and renewed optimism had to be instilled within the electorate. Never again could corruption, arrogance, avarice, hubris, sloth and apathy take over the American psyche and infest the American political system. Never again......
posted by Bushwacker! at 6:24 AM
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