TWO CENTS
On the election
What does Bush's victory mean for you?
Charles Stone, Capitola
I hope it does not mean
suicide. I am on disability. Today's news on Social Security privatization include cutting benefits to current recipients. I'm already
at poverty level. How can I live on less? "Compassionate
conservatism" is a cruel oxymoron.
Albert
Goodwyn,
For me, it means
increased security and increasing affluence. For all of us, it means a more
stable society. There is also a minor gloat factor.
Adrienne
Fodor,
It means a rise in
illnesses caused by environmental pollutants, unaffordable insurance,
compromised freedoms, unprecedented mismanagement of our schools, a likely
terrorist attack that may steal those I love from me. As a patriot, I shudder
to realize our country is now inhabited by those who do not uphold American
values. I feel isolated and angry in a way I cannot explain.
Nancy
Kato,
My plans haven't
changed. I'll be out in the streets fighting for justice, peace, an end to the
Ernest
Crownover,
It means that
traditional values have won; that the people are aware of the dangers of Islam
and intend to confront terrorism; that the people demand a responsible
government by patriots; that we are aware of the dangers of excessive
liberalism; that we are a nation of believers in the good things, not cynics;
and that we want to go forward in the world and world welfare; not retreat.
Holvis Delgadillo,
For me it means
preparedness. The next four years are going to be the basis for the future of
this country. Internal and external policy will change for the worst or the
best -- depending on ideology. The irony is that the future for the young
generation was chosen by an older generation. Only 10 percent of the young
voters between ages 18 and 29 voted. It's a shame my future was decided by the
old school.
Dan
Yee,
It surprised me. It will
mean more young men to die in
Debbie
Fischer,
The deciding factor for
me in this election was homeland security, so I feel our country will be safer with
George Bush in the White House.
George
Mena, Fremont
Bush's victory means
that those who supported Saddam's attempt at getting the U.N. sanctions lifted
without having to comply with them will now have a lot of explaining to do. It
also means that when
Joe
Maionchi, Vallejo
It means four more years
of heartache over what this administration is doing to our country, the
environment and the world.
Michael
Dortch,
The only thing Bush's
victory might mean for me is the possibility that he might be around long
enough to experience at close range the likely terrible effects of his efforts
to mortgage the country's future. Between his tax cuts and his war, he all but
guarantees a bleak near-term future for many, maybe even some of those he
purports to care about.
Ted
Mavrakos,
I won't have to figure
out what country I could move to to be free.
Jed
Holtzman,
I better get that Valium
prescription posthaste! Dazed apathy sounds like sweet music compared to
watching our country's environment, tolerance and international credibility go
down the toilet.
Iren Jenny,
That unlike an
automotive icon commercial, the Bay Area is not the heartbeat of
Margaret
Chau,
Fear and wonder. Not
fear of terrorism, as Bush wants, but of the further erosion of civil rights,compassion and
intelligence. And wonder at how the internationally most hated
Jason
Mark,
First,
a few hours in the fetal position. Next, some self-medication
with generous amounts of whiskey. Then getting back to the business of
building a progressive majority that recognizes real "family values"
means health care for all, a living wage, environmental sanity and a humane
foreign policy.
Jim
Evans,
It means that instead of
being deluded by "Bush-Lite" (John Kerry)
as president, a candidate who supported the invasion of
Marisa
Fuentes,
Even
darker political times. More pre-emptive strikes, more bloodshed, more deception, a
rollback in women's reproductive rights and everyone's civil rights, even less
international support, bigger pockets for Cheney & Co. and harder struggles
for the average American. We're doomed.
Teresa
Espana,
Initially it signals
depression. I think what depresses me most is that the Democrats couldn't beat
a lame president. Almost half those who voted for Kerry only did so because
they were against Bush, not for Kerry. Unbelievable.
Ultimately it means that I continue working within the progressive community to
stop the social injustice that comes at the hands of Bush and Co.
Dick
Steinbach,
Continuity. A
chance for Bush to become a statesman and reach out to heal some of the divides
within and outside the country. I've already e-mailed him with my
requests: heal the divisions, reduce the deficit, work on jobs, health care and
lifting up the disenfranchised, resolve
Sandra
Varner,
A commitment to expand
my efforts to strengthen the platform of the progressive views within the
Democratic party as well as expand the voice of
liberal Christians.
Joy
Brewer, Carmichael
What it means for me is
that more than likely by the first of the year -- like many other good people
-- I will be looking for a job. Can't get any happier than that about his
stolen victory, can we now?
Jannie Saefong,
Bush's victory means
another four years of misery and unhappiness for me. I am terribly upset with
the results and horribly frustrated because the number of
votes were so close. I hope future voters will think long and hard on
what they are voting for next time.
It means that
Ric Lobosco,
Can't
see any immediate personal direct impact. Plenty of long-term indirect impact:
large scale
Adam
Lauppe,
President Bush's victory
scares the heck out of me. I cannot imagine the state of this nation after
another four years of George W. Bush. I just hope I can make it through college
without having to feel any of the effects of a Bush-lead economy.
Guy
Smith,
For
me, a bit of hope on the high court. For all his other deficits, Bush claims he will
nominate only "strict constructionist" to the bench. For those of us
that hold the constitution sacred, strict constructionists are essential for
the maintenance of the republic.
Leutisha Stills,
It means four more years
of the same old BS - as well as keeping everyone in abject fear while he
finishes destroying this country. I'm sticking around to pick up the pieces and
assist in restoring democracy if it's not too late.
Bridget
Rivero,
Bush's victory depresses
me, because it indicates that lots of people continue to support this
administration even though it's proven to be corrupt and inefficient. It's sad
to think that so many Americans can't or won't study the facts and vote
accordingly. On the other hand, Bush and Cheney are loads of fun to mock.
Philip
Ha,
Bush's victory means
four years of destruction, four years of idiotic decisions and four more years
of a futile leader.
Nancy
Tran,
Another four years of
hell. I can't believe he won. As if there weren't enough deaths already in the
MaryAnn
Wofford, Fremont
The contract of Social
Security is all but gone. I recall President Bush saying he would do no nation
building in his first election bid and here we are occupying
Sally
Mecham,
Directly,
probably very little. However, I am a lifelong capitalist Republican and hope to
see more business and "hard worker" friendly leadership -- leadership
that appreciates hard work, saving and worker loyalty rather than "gimme, gimme, gimme."
Kat
Amano,
It means I'm leaving the
country for four years. At least after
Darren
Ooyman,
A Bush victory means
four more years of poor decisions based on arbitrary justifications, universal
ambivalence, and the continuation of the Bush administration's tendency to
fight for the very rich before fighting for very poor. I believe we will be
heading in the wrong direction now that Bush has been re-elected, because he
does a good job in dividing the nation when he means to do the opposite.
Americans, for the next four years, will be bombarded with new Orwellian
doublespeak terms that confuse our citizens.
For my wife and me, it
means four more years of frustration. For her, a teacher, it means a
continuation of "No Child Left Behind", which confounds schools in
minority communities. For me, a social worker, it means a continued decimation
of health and social programs for the needy.
Al
Sartor,
It reaffirms my faith in
Tom
Platner,
President Bush's victory
demonstrates to me that our country, excluding the island known as the Bay
Area, showed how well our Democracy works. We have chosen a leader with a solid
foundation and beliefs. The
John
Hurabiell,
The wisdom of the
electorate means that the war on terror will be properly and aggressively
managed. It also means that the positive economic climate that this
administration has created will be grown and enhanced to the benefit of us all.
It also means that morality will prevail over expediency.
Charles
Barragan,
Bush's victory in both
the Electoral College and popular vote gives him the credibility I felt Dubya lacked from his s/election in 2000. I hope that we
Democrats can move on from bitching about his anointment four years ago to
focus on challenging the legitimacy of his policies and values.
Ruben
Orosco, Livermore
I'm reflecting on what
the results have revealed about our country. A country divided by morals and
values that view the world in clearly black and white terms with no room for
the middle. Positions on policy and the intricacies of an issue were lost in
the tidal wave of one's faith.
Christopher
Toy,
To the best of my
knowledge, Bush's victory will mean that I can be somewhat at peace with a man
or moral character in charge of the most successful government in history. He
has a standard that he lives by and that I can see. When one lives without
standard, anything goes. (coughcough
flipflop)
Stu Woo,
I'm taking Kerry's loss
optimistically: This means that Barack Obama can get to the White House four years sooner.
Blair
Calhoun,
President Bush's
re-election proves the rule: we seldom elect the statesman we need, but we
always get the politician we deserve. To those distressed by the election
results, remember there was a time when the majority of folks thought the world
was flat.
Julia
Chan,
Another four years of
living under the ever-changing colors of the terror alert system and constant
criticism from the people of the
Yvonne
Holt,
It means we have four
more years to straighten out the huge mess created by what's-his-name, oh yeah,
David
Leong,
A
lessened esteem of the American voting public and a reminder that the price of
freedom is eternal vigilance, not just to guard against external enemies, but
also domestic ineptitude.
Billy
Jeffrey,
For me it means
excitement, contentment, and relief. I am so happy that Bush won. Now I don't
have to worry that the leader of the free world will wimp-out against
terrorism. I'm happy that Osama bin Laden can't bully
our people, and that our enemies and allies alike know
that we are a strong country that is willing to stand up for liberty and
freedom everywhere. And I'm relieved the campaign is over.
Diana
Sinclair,
As I said to a co-worker
this morning, "Now I don't have to dig out my veil or learn Arabic."
I feel a little safer in my own country and in my own home, I feel that my
wallet, my earnings, are a little more my own for the next four years, and
somewhat protected from runaway taxation and runaway spending by the Feds,
because George W. Bush has been re-elected.
Joseph
Baylock, Burlingame
It should mean an end to
Dan Rather's use of CBS News as his personal rumor
mill. Putting an end to Memogate, HDXgate
and "reporting" on the Internet hoaxes about reinstitution of the
draft will mean I don't have to correct as many panicky e-mails from uninformed
friends.
Irene
Nexica,
I worked in
Four
more years of the same. Less jobs, increased health care costs, record federal
deficits, no Social Security or Medicare, more right-wing Supreme Court
justices to roll back our civil rights, more U.S. casualties in Iraq, a draft,
and another 9/11 terrorist attack on Bush's watch. Americans, are you insane?
Nora
Barrows-Friedman,
It means: War. Death. Fascism. Silence.
Faith-based repression. Occupation.
Destruction. Manipulation. Frustration. Racism. The terrorists
(in the White House) have won, again.
Peter
Woodke,
For me it means four
more years of character assassination by the likes of Michael Moore and
possibly a few interesting Supreme Court nomination battles. Maybe a decrease
in Bay Area housing prices if enough people migrate to
Nashwa Emam,
Genocide in the
Fran
Chan,
If he won it fairly,
shame on the voters. I am glad I do not live in their state. If he did it
through clever shenanigans, shame on us. All in all, the whole system needs
overhauling and we need to have it done sooner than later so that it would
truly reflect better representation of voters
Jaime
San Felippo,
As a gay man, Bush's
victory means I will not be able to marry legally any time soon. It means I
have to live by laws based on his Christian values and morals, which many
people based their vote on. It means there is no separation of church and
state, and we will all be victims of that in the coming four years.
Heather
Lynd,
Bush's victory means
that the democratic party needs to re-evaluate their
campaigning strategy. What are the concerns of the American people? War on terrorism
is a concern but so is our declining economy. It seemed to me that Bush was
constantly defending his decisions with the war in
JoMay Schleicher,
It means that northern
Ryan
Panlilio,
It means four more years
of close-minded thinking, i.e. --
Daniel
Kerrigan, Colma
What President Bush's
victory means for me is that our country is on the right track for four more
years, that the war on terror will continue to be pursued in a competent and
aggressive manner, and that we will not have to get permission from France to
defend ourselves.
Cecilia
Wu,
I'm so happy that Bush
won. I'm all for him.
Edward
Bell,
Not much. During the
last three years of Bush's presidency the economy has remained stagnant, and we
started a war with no end in sight. It's difficult to believe that Kerry could
not convince people that he could do better. At least we won't be subjected to
more campaign ads.
Dan
Dobleman,
It means there is a God,
and all's well that ends well.