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Nov. 3rd, 2004 07:08 amI notice they're being very cautious about announcing the winner of the election this year -- no more 2000's, at least not until everybody forgets about it -- but, c'mon, it's pretty obvious.
I don't really feel like sitting around predicting gloom and doom, for one thing because I don't really think there's going to be that much gloom and not a whole lot of doom, either. I do believe the country will get worse under Bush -- the deficit will skyrocket, personal freedom will be further curtailed, funding for science will be poor and we'll lose scientists to other nations (already happening with Canada), our relations with other nations will suffer, there *might* be a draft although I doubt it. Er, I suppose that does sound like a generous helping of doom and gloom. But realistically, I think the changes will be slight enough that the average person living in the U.S. won't notice the difference unless they're paying close attention. Do we now? The country is less well off (financially and in personal freedom) than it was 4 years ago, but my life hasn't changed a whole lot. There's no thought police standing on streetcorners handing out Newspeak guides, and I don't think there will be in 4 years, either. In 4 years, someone new will be elected and the country will go down a whole different track -- maybe better, maybe worse. It's not like this is the end of democracy as we know it.
One bit of doom and gloom, at least, did NOT come to pass -- there were pre-election rumors that the Bush camp was orchestrating a capture of Bin Laden and was going to pull him out of their collective hats (or asses, as the case may be) in order to win the election. Turned out to be just a rumor. I think if that had happened, I really *might* have started believing in conspiracy theories.
I don't really feel like sitting around predicting gloom and doom, for one thing because I don't really think there's going to be that much gloom and not a whole lot of doom, either. I do believe the country will get worse under Bush -- the deficit will skyrocket, personal freedom will be further curtailed, funding for science will be poor and we'll lose scientists to other nations (already happening with Canada), our relations with other nations will suffer, there *might* be a draft although I doubt it. Er, I suppose that does sound like a generous helping of doom and gloom. But realistically, I think the changes will be slight enough that the average person living in the U.S. won't notice the difference unless they're paying close attention. Do we now? The country is less well off (financially and in personal freedom) than it was 4 years ago, but my life hasn't changed a whole lot. There's no thought police standing on streetcorners handing out Newspeak guides, and I don't think there will be in 4 years, either. In 4 years, someone new will be elected and the country will go down a whole different track -- maybe better, maybe worse. It's not like this is the end of democracy as we know it.
One bit of doom and gloom, at least, did NOT come to pass -- there were pre-election rumors that the Bush camp was orchestrating a capture of Bin Laden and was going to pull him out of their collective hats (or asses, as the case may be) in order to win the election. Turned out to be just a rumor. I think if that had happened, I really *might* have started believing in conspiracy theories.