<p>iplayoboe, it was a rather big margin, if you recall. Bush won the popular vote by several million votes.</p>
<p>3% is a small margin, sure it's a lot of people, but compare that to how many people voted and it's a minimal amount</p>
<p>Still, this is the first time in a while that any candidate has received most of the popular vote...Clinton never could, if I recall neither could Reagan. No matter what your political affiliation is, you have to admit that is a big accomplishment. </p>
<p>If you can't see how anyone could ever vote for Bush, maybe you should realize that MOST Americans disagree with you...does that tell you anything? I can understand why someone would vote for Kerry (i.e., if you heavily disagree with the war in Iraq, pro-choice, etc.), so I don't understand why you can't see why someone would vote for Bush. Obviously people are satisfied with his leadership and don't feel that Kerry would be a very strong leader...a belief with which I happen to agree.</p>
<p>so many more people voted on BOTH sides of the spectrum. The usual theory that higher turnout heavily favors Democrats was proved false this time, as many more "closet Republicans" came out to vote as compared to previous years.</p>
<p>"W0w... Just because YOU don't agree with Bush or his policies does not give you the right to question other people's BELIEFS, especially about things like abortion and gay rights. Why do YOu seem so "puzzled" by the simple fact that different people have different opinions."
I am not puzzled that people have different opinions but since the majority voted for Bush and not Kerry, I am asking what is it about Bush's policies that they like. I was assuming that they were more positive and complex than that he is a born again Texan. I was sincerely asking for positive things that I could take from the election results, something I could look forward to, but instead you thought it was more important to jump all over me?</p>
<p>"I don't feel the need to defend my support of Bush. Neither does 51% of the rest of the country.
Unfortunately just over half of registered voters even bothered to vote a sad commentary on how much we engage the citizenry.</p>
<p>I'm really glad that Bush won. For months before the election, I've been watching CNN every day and hoping that he'd win. I even stayed up until 2 am watching the election. When Bush won, I was sooooo happy. It made my day.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Unfortunately just over half of registered voters even bothered to vote a sad commentary on how much we engage the citizenry.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>That is a very misleading statistic, especially when you compare it to European countries who seem to have such high levels of voter turnout. In AMerica, citizens get MUCH more involved in politics than their European counterparts as a whole, considering that we: protest, hold rallies, vote on small scale elections, and directly elect officials on a larger basis than in Europe.</p>
<p>Also, in Europe, voting for a certain political party is often the case. They are much less of a direct democracy, even compared to our representative one. </p>
<p>Our smaller percentage of people who vote in the presidential elections does NOT spell doom for America, nor is it necessarily the result of voter apathy. Our levels of turnout have remained similar for many past elections. However, seeing how the number of voters increased this election, that would be a good thing.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I am not puzzled that people have different opinions but since the majority voted for Bush and not Kerry, I am asking what is it about Bush's policies that they like. I was assuming that they were more positive and complex than that he is a born again Texan.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Umm, people have the right to their own opinions and beliefs, even if they <em>gasp</em> agree with Bush. People of religion who don't like abortion? People who believe in the sanctity of marriage? People who support faith-based charities? Come on, everybody has their own beliefs, and you'd expect at least some of them to agree with President Bush...Oh the horror!</p>
<p>I wonder how the provisional /absentee votes are going to pan out .
I know in our area, which has been running comparatively smoothly, absentee ballots have not been tallied yet.
They are also going to have to recount the governors race <sigh></sigh></p>
<p>"If you can't see how anyone could ever vote for Bush, maybe you should realize that MOST Americans disagree with you...does that tell you anything?"</p>
<p>You can't draw that conclusion. MOST Americans who VOTED disagreed with us. Remember that the consensus before the election was that it hinged on who did a better job of getting out the vote, since the opinion polls were evenly divided. The Republicans did a better job of that. Only a small percentage of young voters under 30 voted, for example, and yet that age group was overwhelmingly in favor of Kerry.</p>
<p>now that bush doesnt have to worry about re-election, do you think he'll show up one day on tv dressed in cowboy pants/vest/hat and start keeping animals in the front yard of the white house?</p>
<p>dukesoph3...LOL...maybe he'll just move the White House to Crawford, TX.</p>
<p>Celebrian...from another thread, in case you haven't seen it, sometimes humor helps...</p>
<p>I find it interesting that Maryland Mom does not find it necessary to defend her support of Bush. Perhaps she is unable to defend it because she is as inarticulate as her hero. </p>
<p>*This post contains a personal attack, and the balance of the post has been deleted by moderator. In the future, posts that contain personal attacks will be deleted. Let's keep the discussion civil. *</p>
<p>Agreed Pattyk.</p>
<p>I was angered by Maryland moms comments as well. Republicans are already using "national unity" as code for shut up and let us run the country.</p>
<p>It was because of Bush and his policies that the country is divided in the first place. He squandered all that post-9/11 national unity.</p>
<p>Repubs, be gracious</p>
<p>they were sooooo sad, we let them be sad. now they're sooooo angry, sooooo bitter, and it'll continue just like this for the next four years. but let them. the country will grow even more tired of their whining after a while, and soon enough, they won't even win NY and CA anymore</p>
<p>Lizschup, so true! I was looking for the words myself, thanks.</p>
<p>I WONDER IF THESE PEOPLE ARE STILL THRILLED G.W is STILL HERE LOLz</p>