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This Week with The Chicowitz: |
[Last week: "Why We/They Hate Bush"?]
| Each week our Boomer-in-Charge, Hershel Chicowitz, has something to say about life, society, or what's going on... from the perspective of a baby boomer. This is a special edition, updated on November 7: |
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| WARNING: This essay is rated P - for Political content. Some material may be too intense for some readers. Discretion is advised. If you are not up for a serious discussion on the issues of the day, there are over 300 other pages at BBHQ with nothing but fun and nostalgia; please wander around elsewhere at BBHQ. Our recommended alternative essay this week is "Cell Phones & Other Crimes and Misdemeanors." |
The offer is still open, and we've upped the ante..... Find a Bush Lie -- Collect $500!!
| "The good news for the rest of you Democrats is that you do not need to follow your mis-leaders. If you see the light, then this is not a defeat for you. It is an opportunity, a chance for a new beginning, a victory." |
In the long run, I don't think it is much more complicated than that. But, in this post-mortem, I look at my Monday predictions, explain what happened, identify the winners and losers, and provide a roadmap for Democrats and those of you who feel like you lost. (Hint: you can look at it as a loss, or as an opportunity; it's up to you.)
The map is essentially exactly as it was in 2000. It is strange that the country is divided as it is, with a ring of blue around a huge mass of red. That deserves some serious thought and analysis.... but not today. So.... I guess we resolved that "not really elected president" thing, huh? I am so sick of hearing that crap. I am not a big fan of George Bush, but I am so sick and tired of those blind people who, for four years, spit and spread that garbage! On that aspect of the results, I take great pleasure in gloating. This president is the first since 1988 to recieve a majority of the votes in a presidential election. (That's right. As a reminder to you Clinton fans, Bill Clinton did not receive the majority of the votes in either election! Yeah, I know; the facts are so annoying, aren't they?) George Bush received more votes than any other candidate in U.S. history. He gained (in percentage of the votes) against his opponent in 45 states -- even the states in which he lost. OK, let's see how I did -- one by one, my predictions from Monday, and the results:
 Though I should also remind you of my predictions of last January, right before the New Hampshire primary:
Not bad, huh? By the Numbers
It looks like the president snagged a few voters from most areas where he lagged in 2000: blacks, Jews, women.... Say what you want about Karl Rove; but he got the job done, despite the 15% (according to Newsweek's Evan Thomas) that the media added to the Democrat side. Still, the GOP has a lot of work to do to show to minorities that their ideas benefit everyone.... which, of course, they do. Besides the presidency, Republicans picked up seats in the Senate and the House. Republicans dominated throughout the country.
Winners: John Kerry made this election a referendum on George Bush. Clearly, this was a huge victory for the president and his team. You cannot spin it any other way. (Mind you... and since you asked, I have considerable disagreements with this president's policies and frankly, I firmly believe he ran a miserable campaign. But... that's a story for another day.) It also provides some vindication for the president's father, who failed to win re-election in 1992. Vietnam veterans and people who do and have served in the military. John Kerry's refusal to apologize for the damage he did in 1971 was a huge slap in the face to all those who serve for our country. A victory for a man who aided and abetted the enemy would have been a blow to the gut of the bold and the bravest of us. The Republican Party: Republicans now have a firm grip on the presidency, the Senate, and the House. They hold the majority of the state houses and the state legislatures. Hate them all you want, but the majority of the voters saw through the lies and the phoniness; the rest of you did not. The citizens of Iraq, Afghanistan, and those struggling for freedom throughout the world. Israel, too, dodged a bullet. As Charles Krauthammer pointed out recently, -- http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A53015-2004Oct21.html -- in order to implement his foreign policy, President Kerry would have had to make a bold gesture to pass the "global test." Undue and unwise pressure on Israel would have had to be at the top of his agenda. Those of us who support Israel should be profoundly grateful for a Bush victory. The Hillary: this opens the door for her in 2008. All she has to do is win re-election in 2006, and the nomination is hers. I'll bet she has "Hail to the Chief" as an MP3 on her computer.
Losers: Terrorists all over the world. Osama bin Laden showed his weakness when the best he could do to intimidate U.S. voters was to drop a video in a mailbox in Pakistan -- a far cry from when he could strike at will in the 90s. Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda, while not a nuisance, are serioulsly crippled. This election sealed their fate. John Kerry, of course. His life's ambition, grabbed from him by someone about whom he said, "I can't believe I'm losing to this idiot," and a bunch of "dumb" voters in Ohio. Oh, the humanity! Also, the long-time pols who glided on the stained coattails of Bill Clinton, and failed in 2000, 2002, and now, 2004. Among them are James Carville, John Podesta, Robert Shrum, Joe Lockhart, Mary Beth Cahill, Mike McCurry, Richard Holbrooke, Donna Brazile, and, let us not forget, Sandy Berger, who, if there is any justice, will go to jail for trying to hide the failures of the Clinton administration stored in the National Archives. As I pointed out on Monday, those who really hate George Bush, and those whose careers and prominence were cut to shreds by this election: Ted Kennedy, DNC Chairman Terry -- "Jeb in '02, George in '04" -- McAuliffe, Max Cleland, Jimmy Carter, and of course, Tom Daschle. The Hollywood crowd: Only Larry Flint said he might move out of the country if Bush won. I'd be pleased to help him pack. But this is a big loss for Michael Moore, Whoppi, Cher, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Diamond, Al Franken, Barbra Streisand, Rosie O'Donnell, Bon Jovi, Peter, Paul & Mary, Jimmy Buffett, Linda Ronstadt, Paul Newman... and on and on. Of course, they will see this as more evidence of how stupid the people who pay them millions of dollars are, and how much more mentally superior they are. Fine. They are beyond reach. I have no words and no use for them. George Soros, who spent up to $100 million and vowed he would do anything to defeat George Bush. Oh, he is not out of money. But this is a huge blow to his ego and his prestige. Serves him right; he is a snake in the grass; a big snake, but a snake, nonetheless. Moveon.org, the vile web site, funded by George Soros, that ran a video comparing President Bush to Hitler. Moveon.org endorsed 27 left-wing candidates. Of those, five won. Oh yeah, there's a star to hitch your wagon to!
Retired general and retired presidential candidate Wesley Clark. What a buffoon! And finally, the tea-leaf Democrats. Kerry supporters were beside themselves with elation on Sunday evening when the Washington Redskins lost. According to tea-leaf tradition, that meant that the incumbent would lose, too. Happens all the time. It's a done deal. That settles it. -- It's a total detachment from reality, folks, but typical of the tea-leaf Democrats.
So, What's Next for Them? Over the last decade, the Democratic party has fallen from the very top to the bottom, in terms of power and influence -- from absolute majority, when Bill Clinton took office, to a crippled minority. The message to them is loud and clear. They, their policies and their tactics no longer work. This year they used all their tools at full strength: class envy, hate, scare tactics, lies, and of course, the race card. They outspent the Republicans, and the media went all out for them. And none of it worked. Part of their problem has been has been the continual denial of the facts. They made up things, lied, and denied the reality around them. And so did some of you. We received dozens of messages containing absolute nonsense -- feelings, backed up with no substance whatsoever. Many visitors told us that Bush was going to lose. They were emphatic; it was a done deal. They were positive! So, naturally, when it turned out different, the explanation must be that Republicans stole the election, or that they cheated, or they disenfranchised voters. Oh yes, and "Halliburton, Halliburton, Halliburton!!!" A Kerry supporter from Georgia was so distraught that he committed suicide after the election. Jeffim Kuznetsov, a 25-year-old student from Russia who lives in Atlanta, said the suicide is evidence of how deeply many Americans were affected by Kerry's defeat. "It's a national tragedy," he said. "This election is devastating to all who believe in democracy." "Devastating to all who believe in democracy"? Devastating to those who believe in democracy??? "My only consolation is that someday this planet will be a dead cinder in the universe and all the stupidity, greed, and intolerance and their sad, sad consequences will be lost to all memory." -- Kerry supporter Penny Greenberg, quoted in the San Francisco Chronicle. If they had any integrity and any common sense, the Democratic party would see that the solution is to change their philosophy, change their message, change their leadership, and change their tactics. That, however, would require more sacrifice than I suspect they are willing to endure. Having taken talking points from people like Michael Moore and George Soros, and with one of their party leaders claiming that George Bush "betrayed the country. He played on our fears!" (Al Gore), I fear that they will choose to be even more vitriolic, even nastier the next time around. As I wrote last week, like a three year-old, they threw a huge hissy-fit this season. They need to grow up and face reality.
The Good News for the Other Democrats The good news for the rest of you Democrats is that you do not need to follow them any longer. If you see the light -- if you see that hate is not the proper foundation for political beliefs; if you see that class envy is destructive; if you see that a list of complaints is not a political agenda... then perhaps you can see that tax cuts benefit everyone; then perhaps you can see that your success or failure is your responsibility, not the responsibiity of the government; then perhaps you can see that government is not the solution to all (or even most) social problems; then you can see that there is nothing more important than the defense of our country, and that our country is under attack; then you can see that sound, moral character is essential, even when you disagree with the details beneath it. And if you can, then this is not a defeat for you. It is an opportunity, a chance for a new beginning, a victory. Welcome aboard!
"It's the chance of a lifetime, - Dan Fogelberg, "Run for the Roses"
This is a profound result, with serious consequences. It is a great day for freedom, honesty, and justice.
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Exploring My Roots: A Chicowitz History
Membership details here.
Terrific boomer memorabilia!!
Remember this?
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We love hearing from our readers. This is our favorite so far, from Willie, who demonstrated his..... vocabulary:
| You are an ignorant troglodyte. You are completely impervious to the facts. This is worse than Mr Limbaugh, your pill popping friend. When Bush drafts you, you will not be so jocund. |
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Hershel will have something else to say on November 8: mark your
calendar 
to
remind you to come back to BBHQ every Monday.
Did you miss last week's essay, "Why We/They Hate Bush"? You can still read it here.
We're open to offerings from visitors to BBHQ. If you have something to say of interest to boomers, write it as well as you can in 800 - 1,000 words, and send it to us. We can't guarantee we'll publish it, but we'll surely consider it.
If you like what we're doing here at BBHQ, please help us by buying stuff through our link to Amazon.com:
| The BBHQ Album of the Month is "Old Friends Live on Stage (Deluxe Edition) (2 CD/1 DVD)," by Simon & Garfunkel. If you were fortunate enough to see them in concert last year, I do not have to sell you. The concert was terrific! This album collection includes 55 songs, plus their new recording, "Citizen of the Planet," and one of the songs sung by the Everly Brothers during the concert. The DVD was recorded during their concert in Madison Square Garden in 2003. For any S&G fan, this is a must have! But then, you knew that already, didn't you? |
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The BBHQ Book of the Month is
"Vinyl Highway," by
Dee Dee Phelps. You remember her as Dee Dee, of Dick and Dee Dee.
Together, they took a decade long ride on the rock and roll roller
coaster. It was a heck of a ride! Dick Clark, Quincy Jones, the Beach
Boys, Glenn Campbell, Dionne Warwick, Bobby Vinton... Dick and Dee Dee
rubbed shoulders with all of them. This is her "behind the scenes" story.
It's pretty cool.
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My first prediction is that I will live to regret this. But.... it's a
tradition.
