at long last, a political post
A lot of readers have e-mailed me, and asked why I haven’t talked more about politics this election season. It’s mostly a time issue, but the real reason is, there are other sites out there that say the very same things I want to say, and they say them better than I do. As I wrote back in May: “Salon, DailyKos, Atrios, Josh Marshall, The Daily Howler, Juan Cole, and Kevin Drum are just a few of the sites I read at least once a day. I do a lot of nodding along in agreement when I read them, and they always say what I would say, with more eloquence and passion than I can currently muster.”
In that entry, I also said, “There’s enough anger and strife in the world right now. I’d rather put my time and energy into reflecting on the things that make me happy, than the things that piss me off.”
Then I got an e-mail this afternoon inquiring why I haven’t written about the most important election in our lifetime.
The most important election in our lifetime.
Boy, did that strike a nerve with me. This is the most important election in my lifetime. Forget the concept of holding the Bush administration accountable for the lies and incompetence for a moment, and just think about the very real possibility of a Supreme Court stacked with Bush appointments: goodbye freedom of choice. Goodbye freedom from religion. Goodbye equal rights for homosexuals.
Presumably, you’re reading this website because you want to know what’s in my head, and a lot of you have asked how I feel about the election . . . so here it is: I’m pretty sure that John Kerry will win this election. I am pretty confident that the majority of Americans are fed up with the lies, corporate sell-outs, and reality-defiance of the Bush administration. I am pretty sure that I’ll wake up on November 3rd and tell my wife, “Our long national nightmare is over.”
But it will still be close, and it’s possible that the GOP’s disgusting efforts to keep voters away from the polls will work, and we’ll end up with four more years of George W. Bush.
Last week, a reporter from Salon invited me to contribute to a story that asked, “What will you do if President Bush is re-elected?”
I struggled to find the best way to express how important I feel this election is, and I tried to articulate some of the main reasons I believe that Mr. Bush does not deserve a second term, but there were so many, I kept ending up with over 1000 words. One draft was close to 1700 words, and that was just trying to understand how President Bush and his supporters seem to live in some parallel reality where up is down and we have always been at war with Eurasia. (Or is it East Asia? Doesn’t matter. War is Peace.)
What I came up with, in the editing and soul-searching, and the worrying, is this: I believe that we much reject George W. Bush and the direction he’s taken our country. Even if we (hopefully) end up with a new president tomorrow, it will take decades to repair the damage George Bush has done in just four years: damage to our civil rights, damage to our economy, damage to our national standing with the rest of the world (doesn’t it bother anyone that the vast majority of the world viscerally hates America because of George W. Bush? I’m not talking about “The Terrorists.” I’m talking about our traditional allies in France, Spain, Germany, Britan, and pretty much all of Europe. On September 12, 2001, the entire world stood shoulder-to-shoulder with us . . . but look at how our country is viewed now.) If he gets another four years to wreak havoc on America and the world, we may never recover from it.
Here’s what I ended up sending them:
I’m Wil Wheaton, and I approved this message:
There are so many reasons that George W. Bush doesn’t deserve four more years, it is staggering to me that the question “What will you do if George W. Bush is re-elected?” can even be asked. This shouldn’t be a horse race. This should be a Kerry blow-out.
This election is a referendum on the policies and leadership of President Bush. On November 2nd, we will take a simple test: will Americans succumb to terror? Or will we stand up and take our country back?
Our hopefully soon to be ex-president once struggled to say, “fool me once, shame on
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Shame on you.
I mean seriously. I usually like what you have to say Wil, but your blindness and bigotry just jumped to the surface.
“Goodbye freedom from religion.”
There’s no such thing. Even atheism is a religion. Television is a religion. And Bill of Rights says:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;…”
Banning prayer (of any sort) banning religious displays, any banning of any religious practice, is in fact directly forbidden by our Constitution. The constitution is there to protect and defend rights not take them away. Something that Mr. Bush seems to have forgotten, and you seem to have forgotten as well. Perhaps you have more in common than you’d like to believe.
I often vote a split ticket and try to be pragmatic about who and what I vote for. For years I identified myself as a republican and many values I hold dear used to be “republican” values.
The current administration has changed my basic voting identity. I cannot abide the lies, incompetance, hostile actions, profiteering, short sighted and (insert other characteristics here) any longer. For the first time I am fearful for the future of my country.
Bush and his twisted little cadre are over.
If Kerry wins today, I will cry with joy.
Enough lies and stupidity.
Out Bush! Be gone! Go home! Let’s use bleach and get the stink out of our Whitehouse.
They hated us long before G W. The young seem to think it’s all GW. How easy that would be, wouldn’t it? 🙂 But there’s history there. And some seem not to have learned their history. If you have traveled Europe before GW, or even the first Bush, you will know what I am talking about. If you studied your history, you’ll know the facts that have led up to the actions that are being taken.
You might think GW made the wrong decision to enter Iraq. That’s fine. But don’t say he caused Europe to hate us. That was there a long time before. They hate our our money, our freedom, our opportunities, our individualism, etc. and have for many, many years.
Get out there and vote, everyone. We need to get this idiot out of office.
I feel like it’s the night before I go to the gyno. I am scared.
Last night, there was a Kerry rally here in Cleveland. Springsteen played and all seemed right in the world. PLEASE let Kerry win this for all of us- for our children. I just may lose hope if W wins this election.
Canada here I come, if the evil one prevails!
I am so tired of hearing all these people say if (blank) wins I am moving to Canada,England,ect… If you truely feel that way then please leave now. Let those of us who care about our country stay here and work on it. We don’t need “fly by nights” anyway. And by the way most of Europe has disliked America and American’s since the start of our nation, and I am pretty sure Bush wasn’t there then. Heck the Spanish and the French only helped us then to get at the English.
For many of us, Bush is a terrific president. Where you see freedom of choice, we see freedom for the unborn that cannot protect themselves. Where you see freedom from religion, we see freedom of religion. Where you see equal rights for homosexuals, we see states rights returned and minority judges no longer overturning the decisions of state legislatures.
What you see as Bush lies, we see as Saddam lies that Republicans and Democrats (yes, even Clinton and Kerry) fell for. Where you see a military draft, we see a proposal only from Democrats to reintroduce the draft for political gain. Where you see the world hating the US, we see the US stopping the innocent slaughter of 500,000 Iraqis and ending payoffs to the UN, Russia, France and Germany from the corrupt Oil-for-food scandal.
Where you see Kerry as a hero, we see a Monday morning quarterback who changes his story daily to appeal to people. I still don’t know what Kerry’s position on Iraq is. He voted for it, he voted against it, he’s the anti-war anti-terrorist candidate that will stop at nothing to kill terrorists except we need to pass a global test.
I don’t expect you to see this – it’s National Polarization Day – but it’s the other side of the issues you don’t see that compel 50% of the American people to vote for Bush.
Better get your tissues ready Wil. Four more years.
The reason for us being in the position we are in now is because of 1978, when President Carter did not help out the Shah of Iran. Islamic’s looked at us as a country that would not fight for anything. We have had at least 6 attacks and we did nothing. Did you cry after 9/11? Now we are doing something so that a 9/11 will never happen again. You are like the liberals in Boulder CO. that called my daughter a baby killer when she was in her Army uniform. So get a life and if you don’t like President Bush I’m sure you have enought money to move to a country that will not protect them selves. God Bless President Bush.
You want to talk about lies, huh? Don’t think we’ve forgotten how you helped cover up that training accident at the Academy! Or your cowardice during the Cardassian incident!
“doesn’t it bother anyone that the vast majority of the world viscerally hates America because of George W. Bush? I’m not talking about “The Terrorists.” I’m talking about our traditional allies in France, Spain, Germany, Britan, and pretty much all of Europe.”
Hell no it does not bother me. They are only our allies when they need something.
Thank you for posting this, Wil.
IF Kerry is elected, THEN you WILL see the draft reinstated. It is Democrats in Congress who have authored the legislation to reinstate the draft and it is John Kerry who has stated that he does not see any “other way to do it” (“prosecute” a “war”) UNLESS there is a draft.
President Bush, on the other hand, has been clear throughout his Presidency that he is NOT going to reinstate the draft. The all-volunteer military has and is working under President Bush; however, a Kerry in the White House will likely have to have a draft reinstated inorder to “do” a war effort.
So, by electing Kerry, you Democrats will, in effect, manage to get your draft reinstated.
You should have supported President Bush and voted for him, if the draft issue is what is most paramount to your voting process, as to being something you “fear” for “your children.”
Kerry will need a non-voluntary military, however, given his problematic history as character, something that many military and pro-military individuals have a problem with, as to Kerry’s character…among which is a probably less than honorable discharge from military service, something Kerry has worked quite fervently to prevent being made public. Thus, his published and edited “military records” on his campaign site, but his refusal to sign the permissions form by which his full records could be made public. With the Navy’s help, however, Kerry’s past records, in full, might soon be available to the public. It may be too late, however, to prevent a person who campaigned upon covertly misleading millions.
If Kerry is the best the Democrats could do, they DESERVE to lose to Bush. Kerry is a proven liar who takes more sides on issues than panels on a Rubik’s cube. Get him to sign an SF-180 to release his military records and we’ll talk. The Dems have done everything they can to show that Bush didn’t meet his service requirements (of which I personally believe that he didn’t, but was given as pass, not based on who he was but his overall service record and the policies in place at the time) while Kerry has lied about his service, slandered his ‘fellow’ soldiers and refuses to release HIS service records. Until then, B.S. walks. It goes to the (lack of) character of the man.
It it always better to vote FOR something than AGAINST somthing else. Kerry brings nothing to vote FOR.
I’m not voting for either. They both disgust me. I find my local bond issues and state ammendments much more pleasant to consider. My protest is leaving the president column blank; not that it matters in my state anyway. I considered voting for a candidate that more closely matches my personal beliefs, but the lack of experience makes that candidate a joke too.
BTW, the way you will feel if Bush gets elected is how millions felt when Clinton got re-elected. I’m sure you’ll deal (or become an angry shell of a person who throws money at the opposition and will say anything to defeat them: George Soros?????)
Crying is what some people do best.
I actually saw an Iraqi woman cry once. She was happy someone had finally avenged the deaths of her husband and sons (three of them) when we cleared her town of Ba’athists. This was not the only scene of Iraqis showing immense gratitude towards not only American forces but all of the military forces we worked alongside. But from what I understand, none of this kind of news is popular in the US and now that I have been back, I see it is true.
It amazes me the different perceptions you folks have over what is worth doing and what is worth ignoring.
I also find it disheartening that the fact women are voting in Afghanistan and soon in Iraq goes unnoticed by people who claim women’s rights around the globe are actually a concern of their’s. No US president has done more for universal women’s rights than this one. And no one cares….
How many on this thread have done something to serve this country – military or not?
How many just enjoy the birth-right?
How many have an actual stake in what is happening in this world?
The more I talk to those who really oppose the President, the more I support him. For very, very few have a single iota of personal experience with those things that have formed their opinions. And little or no interest in doing anything to make the world a better place.
Communism, facism, and slavery were not conquered by sanctions and debate.
So continue to cry, some people have a real reason to do so, others…well, I just don’t see the point.
Feels like the night before the dentist. When you know that toothache is gonna require some drilling.
This is the most asinine thing I’ve read in a long time. Proof yet again that Hollywood doesn’t know jack shit about politics.
John Kerry and John Edwards have been talking tough since their campaign began, but one look at their individual voting records shows that it’s just that…talk. Voting to slash the intelligence budget, even after strikes on our nation and cutting the military by nearly 300,000 personnel does not make America stronger. That’s the record Kerry and Edwards are really running on. On the other side, President Bush has shown true leadership in the war against terrorism and oppression. He knows that we have no choice but to fight terrorist and that no matter how tempting it may be, we cannot afford to go back to a September 10th mentality. We have made a serious dent in the al queada terror network and have overthrown the taliban and Saddam Hussein, turning both countries from sponsors of world-wide terror to budding democracies, and freeing millions of women and children from the grips of oppression. On the home front, unemployment is steady at 5.4 percent, and the labor department reported today that 175,000 new jobs were created in the month of October. Home ownership is at an all time high, the stock market is steadily climbing and inflation is almost nil. Taxes have been cut across the board, not just for the rich. The Bush tax cuts have put approximately 2,000 more dollars in my pocket this past year. By way of comparison, my union (Which is supporting Kerry) negotiated a measly 1 percent raise for the rank and file, which comes out to about 8 dollars a pay. Once again the facts differ from the rhetoric and lies of the Kerry/Edwards team. If faith matters at all in this election then people of faith should look towards George Bush. The alternative would be 4 years of partially born babies aborted, the pushing of a homosexual agenda, legally assisted suicide, and tiny fetuses growing in labs awaiting the harvesting of their stem-cells. All of this will be tax-payer funded of course. George Bush cares for and supports life in all its stages, and this brings me to social security reform. Allowing younger workers to invest a portion of the social security any way they want, while continuing to fund those current recipients of social security greatly differs from the Kerry/Edwards plan of doing nothing and letting young workers face the prospect of working until they’re well into their seventies. For example, if I’d have been able to invest just 10 percent of my SS contribution I’d have close to 75,000 waiting for me right now, and I’m only 39 years old. At the current rate of growth for my market investments, if I work another 20 years I would have close to 200,000 waiting for me. This is in addition to my pension and my individual retirement fund. I could retire at 59 and not have to find a part time job. Privatizing only a portion of SS would greatly benefit younger Americans and this would in no way affect the benefits being paid now to retirees. In closing, I can find no areas that Kerry and Edwards will handle better than President Bush, and that’s why I’ll cast my vote today for Bush and Cheney.
Thanks for your words Wil.
For those of you who took the time to learn for yourself the untold damage this president has done to our country, I thank you.
As for the rest of you people who are voting for Bush, I implore you to stop watching FauxNews and get your news from OTHER sources. Each time I read something here from a conservative or a republican who supports the Shrub, it’s glaringly obvious you haven’t spent any time researching the facts about this administration.
I’ll leave you all with this thought:
Why is the person who is actually responsible for the attacks on 9/11 still at large while our administration kill tens of thousands of innocent Iraqi civilians? Is that acceptable to any of you?
guardian
Wil, great post…my sentiments exactly.
In 2001, I became a father and have been horrified by what the Bush Administration has done–the lies they have told, the NeoCon agenda they have pushed on us. During the Presidental debates I would joke at work that I did not watch them because I am trying to teach my son no to lie and having GW on TV does not set a good example. I want to teach my son that America is great and America is Good.
The Bush Doctrine of pre-emptive strikes anywhere in the world we feel like hitting was taken to its full –and some would say logical– conclusion in Iraq. Nearly 100,000 Iraqi civilians have died according to a new Johns Hopkins study. Much ill has been done in our name.
America is the greatest, most powerful nation on the planet. With Bush (hopefully) out of office soon, maybe we can start acting responsibly and morally.
(I’d better stop now or I won’t be able to stop.)
Thanks again for your thoughts.
BTW, I have really enjoyed “Dancing Barefoot” and the journey you present in “Just a Geek”
Look, ma! Free range Freepers! Best fertilizer EVER.
That said, get your hankies ready. This genuine conservative sure as hell didn’t vote for the liberals-who-done-got-Jesus party candidates, but they’ll probably win anyway.
FAUXnews? LOL!
That ranks up there with CBS is a news source to be trusted. And the UN has actually done good for the planet in the last oh,…decade. Sudan anyone? Oil-for-Food anyone? Will veto in the Security Council for kickbacks? Gotta love those “allies.”
I would love to hear what part of my post came from Fox News.
And what part of anyone’s here has come from personal experience….
Strangely enough, I’m going to the dentist the day after election — twice.
And just out of curiosity, Wil, what does a comment about Hammas (“Now, watch this drive…”) have to do with what happened on 9/11, in your opinion?
You do know the day that golf scene was shot, a suicide bomber (and not an American Christian one to many’s dismay) had just killed innocent people in Israel that day, right? And that was the question posed at the time, right? You do know the facts surrounding the quote do you not?
I have no problem when someone supports Bush with eloquent and well put-together arguments. Congratulations to Wil for expressing his opinion in a civil, civilised and eloquent manner. As for me, I’m pessimistic about a Kerry win – the odds are 5-1 on Bush getting a second term in the White House. I would point out that there are plenty of good conservative politicians that would make far better Presidents than George Bush. John McCain is one example that comes to mind. I’m sure that Conservative supporters can think of plenty of others.
If the draft gets reintroduced, I’m willing to shelter any draft-dodgers that I can. In my community, we have people (who have since done quite well for themselves) who came up here to escape the Vietnam war. We’ve done it before and we’ll do it again.
It seems a lot of people will “cry” if Bush wins.
But no-one has said they would “cry” if Kerry wins.
Says something……
Personally, I think Bush did a kick ass job of running this country given the circumstances. Can you remember 9/11/01? If we DIDN’T do something then we would’ve invited more terror! It would’ve been like, “Hey you guys… we don’t care… come on back now, ya hear?! Hit the pentagon a little lower and to the left next time! 🙂 ”
I still think you’re an awesome person, but politically, I think that you have a totally warped view…which is fine- my best friend is also an avid Kerry voter, but to each his own.
I would not feel safe with Scary Kerry as president. He can’t make up his mind about anything- and he was a supporter and still is supported by the American Communist Party. Do we want a communist government?? No.. I don’t think so…
GWB started the war on terror, and only GWB can bring it to a close. He was right to start a war on terror- it was the only forseeable way at that moment in time…sure, there have been mistakes, and casualties, but what war does not have these things? And although GWB is wrongfully slated as “starting this war”, isn’t an attack on several important government buildings, where entire cities are at danger a DECLARATION of war?? Al Queida STARTED the war… GWB just kicked their asses for it.
Anyhow- there are two things that no matter how hard you differ, you cannot deter ones opinion on- religion is one, and politics is the other… so in short, I just think you’re wrong, but you have a right to vote for whoever you wish…
Have a good one!
*Melinda*
IF John Kerry wins- I WILL CRY– OUT OF FEAR- and then I will probably shoot myself…because it’s coming anyway with that jerk in office!
You should understand that there is zero chance of a military draft if Bush is re-elected–none–nada. The reason is that the voluntary armed forces are much more effective than any conscript service. Only the Democrats are lobbying for a revival of the draft. So logically you should expect to see the draft reinstated if Kerry wins.
Hey Wil,
I am from the East Coast of Australia and we just recently had our own Federal (National) Election. Unlike in the US our vote is compulsory. Mainly because our population is too small to take the chance on giving people the choice of voting.
Reading your election posting recalled a lot of the memories of uneasiness that many of us felt during our election. In our case the majority of the country voted for and successfully re-elected John Howard. This man has been accused of a lot of things over the past 12-18 months and has had a lot of mud thrown his way. Many people the world over probably wonder why we voted him back in.
But in all honesty the alternative of voting for Mark Latham scared a lot of us. While voting him in may not have had the same repercussions as a vote for George W. It was a vote that threatened to hurt our economy, hurt the chances of young families from ever owning their own homes, and hurt our relationship with our allies (including the US)by withdrawing our troops from Iraq.
I may not agree with the war as it stands but I agree that we must support our allies if we expect them to come to our aid in a time of crisis.
I am thankful that our vote ended as it did and I hope that the you can feel the same relief at the end of your election when they announce your new President as I did when they announced our new Prime Minister.
cheers
Lauren
If the U.S. worked in cooperation with the U.N., you wouldn’t need to worry about running out of troops.
Bush and his administration are bullies. He cuts taxes for the rich and yet runs up a huge deficit. His dad had quite the definicit too. I thought repulicans were supposed to be fiscally responsible. It looks like democrats are the ones who can deliver on balance budgets.
Please understand this if you understand nothing else. Iraq was not invaded for the reasons you believed. It’s all about the oil. They used the lives of those who died on 9/11 as a excuse to invade. It’s shameful. Bush are his administration are bad people who are directly profiting from a war targeted at innocent people. The U.S. citizens get to pay that bill.
Uh, ANC I hate to rain on your parade, but the UN is feckless and has been for years now.
Look at how Saddam abused them for over a decade.
Ask the Sudanese how the UN has helped them.
Ask an Iraqi how much of that Oil-for-Vetoes, er, Food money got to them.
The UN is a farce and serves no purpose. A huge percentage of the members are dictators and totalitarian regimes and you want to tell me they represent the will of their citizens in world affairs?
The US benefits from nothing in the UN.
Has not since Korea.
Um sweetie… the Republicans, including George W. Bush do NOT want a draft. The DEMOCRATS do. I don’t know how many times that must be shouted at you people before you get it through your heads. You need to look things up and actually research them instead of just being a parrort and saying things just because of some other misinformed people in this country are saying it. Seriously folks a bill was brought up about the draft BY DEMOCRATS to be voted on. How did Kerry and Edwards vote? Neither one showed up.
Wil,
Wisdom comes with age. A person becomes “older and wiser.” You’re just a youngster. You’ll learn. All I will say is–my vote cancelled yours out…this is democracy.
Freeman
This all just a bunch of political tripe. Especial the comment by Paul Stephen. What’s next? Bush and the born-agains want to eat our babies? I’ve noticed a disturbing trend. Christians get blamed for all the ills in America. I think I remember another religious group that was blamed for the down fall of certain country. Somewhere in Europe. Say, around 1938. Think about it.
“just think about the very real possibility of a Supreme Court stacked with Bush appointments: goodbye freedom of choice. Goodbye freedom from religion. Goodbye equal rights for homosexuals.”
I know you’ll probably read what I’m about to say and think I’m an idiot or something, but I assure you that I’m an intelligent person who just happens to have very strong beliefs, for very good reasons, which just happen to be different than yours. That being said, my response to the above quote is:
Sounds good to me!
I’m just glad I know I won’t be the only one shedding tears when it’s confirmed Ohio went to The Liar.
That even the popular vote validated those lies, at a cost of over 100,000 human lives, is despicable.
This nothing short of an insult to the rest of the world – sans Isreal and Russia, that is.
well i sure cried. they’re saying dubya’s lead in Ohio is “statistically insurmountable”
not to state the obvious but we are so screwed. i think this was an election of the world, not just America. i’m not American but i was up til 6am my time. with an effin headache too.
and all to see bush win. joy. 🙁
Please show me something other than hearsay and punditry that leads you to believe that there will be a draft. This is Democratic fear-mongering at its worst. Another tool in the tool box. I voted… Libertarian.
Bush Wins!!! Woohoo!
To all those crying, I gladly extend a handkerchief, and a shoulder to cry on.
There, there… don’t cry. Everything’s going to be okay.
Honest 😉
Uh, Wil?
Refering back to your 2nd-to-last pargraph “So if…”
George Bush is actually AGAINST the draft, FYI.
Anyway, ttfn
I grew up in a Europe in the grip of a cold war. I never felt as threatened by the Soviet Union as I now do by the Bush Administration States.
Sad days ahead if you’re not a Haliburton shareholder.
This post struck so many cords with me. As a UK national, you’re right – Dubya has destroyed America in the eyes of the world. My mind boggles when I try to understand how he has come to be re-elected – the man has turned an economy with a budget surplus into a multi-billion dollar deficit! I can’t even begin to understand how he’s managed to do it, and that’s only one of the many, many things that frightens me when it comes to George W.
So Wil, you’re not the only one sitting down today and crying. I’m really, really scared of what’s going to come.
Wil, I really don’t think the majority of the rest of the world hates America.
They may dislike Bush and some of the other politicians but there is still great love for people of America and what they have contributed to the world. That ain’t changing no matter who is elected.
That’s the way I feel anyway.
Ferris (British)
Cry Cry you liberal losers. Bush won. Also, I give a crap about what the rest of the world thinks. What is best for the United States comes first and foremost. The rest can wait in line.
???
So if George W. Bush wins, I will sit down, and I will cry. I will cry for my children, who will most certainly face a military draft, and I will cry for my country, because I believe that America can, and must, do better than George W. Bush.
“I will sit down, and I will cry. I will cry for my children, who will most certainly face a military draft”
Come on Wil. Don’t believe everything the Democrats say. I personally don’t believe most things either the Democrats or Republicans say.
The draft issue sounds like last minute fear mongering to me.
One other thing, the “voter intimidation problem” panned out to be pretty much non-existent.
Seriously don’t jump on the first thing you hear.
I don’t even live in the US and this election is everywhere!
Without hurting anyones feelings or going against anyones beliefs I do believe that it is wrong that Bush has won…again! He has projected such a bad image onto America, one that many people in Britain find it hard to ignore. Tony Blair is no better and when our time comes to vote, I hope his term, unlike Bush’s, comes to an end.
Now…let’s talk about something else
“I will sit down, and I will cry.”
What a wuss.
http://www.thenoiz.com/photoblog/2004/11/to-wil-wheaton.html
Well little Willie, please don’t cry just because a MAJORITY of the citizens re-elected me. Perhaps instead of crying, you should take a real hard introspective look inside yourself and THINK that MAYBE that MAJORITY of citizens may know something that YOU don’t. If you really do decide to move to France or something, let me know, and I’ll put in a good word to Jacques for ya.
Oh and BTW, Laura sends her best.
God Bless You and the United States of America.
GWB