Preparing for the Worst Case Scenario
Despite the fact that I'm between 5 and 15 years younger than the rest of my siblings, we do share some of the same traits: we love Todd Rundgren, we play sheepshead and we all plan for the worst case scenario. Some kids are scared of things that go bump in the night. Other kids plan out elaborate ways to kill the thing that goes bump in the night. We are those kids.
In that spirit, even though I think President Bush will be reelected Tuesday, I still have to think about how I'd deal with a Kerry victory.
First, I can't be around any Kerry supporters. You know how you feel when your team loses and you see some guy in the bar wearing the opponent's jersey? Well, this is just like that, only worse. And, being something of a hothead, I'm afraid of saying or doing things I'll regret. To that end, I'm also taking off work on Wednesday, just to be on the safe side.
But that just covers the immediate aftermath, what happens in the long term? I think the first thing conservatives have to do is reassure themselves that Kerry won't have a Congressional majority to push through any of his initiatives (yeah, I know he doesn't really have any initiatives, but work with me). A President Kerry probably would get to name 2 or 3 Supreme Court Justices, but a) they'd have to be confirmed by a Senate with a Republican majority and b) you don't always know what you're going to get when someone's appointed to the Court. There's no guarantee that a liberal President will beget a liberal Justice. I think President Kerry would be ineffective to harmless on domestic issues, but not for lack of trying. In other words, the world won't come to an end.
I'm sure Kerry will pull out of Iraq shortly after his inauguration, and so, for regular Iraqis, the world may very well seem like it's coming to an end. Kerry will pay lip service to the War on Terror, but won't actually fight it, unless we are attacked again. I don't trust Kerry to do anything (other than rolling over and begging) to prevent more terrorist attacks. However, Bush may have simply succeeded in killing so many terrorists and so disrupted their networks that the Islamofascists are simply incapable of staging a big attack, for now. Kerry, like Neville Chamberlain before him, may very well provide peace for our time. But our time is short and that will be little comfort to those killed in the terror attacks of '06 or '08 or whenever.
(I'm sure some people will point out that a Kerry victory would probably deny Hillary Clinton the White House and they'll say that's a positive. I'm not so sure. Hillary would face the same obstacles to her left wing agenda. But actually, I would be far more comfortable with her fighting the War on Terror. I can see her relishing the opportunity to be a woman warrior and wanting to fight on as a way to create the kind of legacy her husband never did.)
If Kerry wins, the most important things we can do are to immediately start working for House and Senate candidates for the '06 elections. Conservatives will have to make sure Kerry doesn't get that crucial Congressional majority. As for the War on Terror, we'll have to do the things we already do at home. Be aware. Be vigilant. Terrorists live in our midst, but they don't blend in, at least not yet. The 9/11 terrorists could have been caught dozens of times before it was too late just because their actions were so suspicious. We have to remember that terrorists are evil, not smart.
If Kerry wins, all the bloggers out there will still have to act as a check on the mainstream media. The media won't suddenly settle down and become objective just because they succeeded in kicking Bush out of office.
Finally, if Kerry wins, we have to accept it. We might need to go through all of the stages of grief to get there, but we need to get there. I will show the grace that the Michael Moores of the world didn't. I'll work to defeat Kerry's agenda, but I'll accept him as my President. I don't want to be like those liberals that care more about their pet issues than what is ultimately best for their country.
Posted by at October 31, 2004 07:05 PM
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Comments
| # March 7th, 2005 6:48 PM Converted_Comment | |
I agree with what you've said throughout this whole article. I've been thinking to myself the last couple weeks about how i would handle myself if Kerry became elected. I am confident that it won't happen, but what if? I've been thinking to myself and telling myself that I can't be like those liberals who still to this day think bush wasn't truly elected president, and wear the "not my president" shirts with a picture of bush on it. Those people are sore losers, and i don't want to be like that. To be lumped in like that means that i am no better than those that call bush a terrorist ir a nazi. I will still have my thoughts and beliefs about Kerry, i will still think he was a traitor to the US right after he left vietnam, but i won't call him a nazi. These statements liberals make are just for attention, and i don't want to sink to that level. Yes, if kerry gets elected i WILL be pissed, but i'm not a little baby, and i won't cry about it for the next 4 years. Like you said in your article, the best things to do is to make sure he cannot do anything. Provide checks against him, such as voting in republican congressmen in 2 years, and also try to check the media like the bloggers have been doing. Overall, i think what you said was that if Bush loses, the republicans need to lose with class and not look like a bunch of little immature whiners that can't accept what happened. |
| # March 7th, 2005 6:48 PM Converted_Comment | |
Don't worry guys, in some ways John Kerry is more of a Conservative than George Bush. He is also a gracious winner, who is already talking about which Republican's he'd like to include. We saw from the debates that he is good on his feet and very aware of the facts and figures. You all put up a brave fight under incredibly bad circumstances. I wouldn't know how to begin to defend George Bush's record. But somehow you all found a way, no matter how trivial. So as I celebrate on Tuesday, I'll be thinking of you all and how we can now go forward as one nation to defeat terrorism and get America working again. |
| # March 7th, 2005 6:48 PM Converted_Comment | |
the fact is that Kerry never provided accurate facts during the debates, and the president pointed that out. As far as defending the presidents record, there really isn't much to defend. Bush removed saddam, and has terrorists on the run. theres nothing much else to say on that topic. Kerry wouldn't have done anything better, or anything in general... |
| # March 7th, 2005 6:48 PM Converted_Comment | |
politics as usual. it would be nice to see we're not set in complete bigotry though. |
| # March 7th, 2005 6:48 PM Converted_Comment | |
I generally agree. I didn't think kerry would pull out of iraq though. I myself think we initially went for the reasons that are trivial now. Iraq seems like a welfare case to me now. |
| # March 7th, 2005 6:48 PM Converted_Comment | |
I was telling a liberal co-worker that if Kerry won, which I doubt, that puts an end to ever hearing Hillary's name mentioned again. Then he scared the hell out of me... He thinks Kerry would nominate Hillary as a Supreme Court Justice... I am still shaking... Get out and Vote BUSH!! |
| # March 7th, 2005 6:48 PM Converted_Comment | |
settle the fuck down |
| # March 7th, 2005 6:48 PM Converted_Comment | |
To the anon above. I noticed that you've commented on a couple of posts now and obviously you disagree with us. That's fine. However, I object to your obnoxious tone and your use of words like "bigotry" to describe opinions you happen to not agree with. I really don't understand your last comment above. I think everyone else here is demonstrating calm, rational thought and you are just being an asshat. |
| # March 7th, 2005 6:48 PM Converted_Comment | |
Bush has been beat upon by the left since day one. The left has done everything to destroy this mans credibility, his beliefs and criticize every act taken as President even when he signed Teddy (hiccup) Kennedy’s, Education Bill. However, no matter what they have thrown at Bush he has always led in the polls and while the margin my be closer than we like, I remain confident Bush will be reelected |
| # March 7th, 2005 6:48 PM Converted_Comment | |
"First, I can't be around any Kerry supporters. You know how you feel when your team loses and you see some guy in the bar wearing the opponent's jersey? Well, this is just like that, only worse. And, being something of a hothead, I'm afraid of saying or doing things I'll regret. To that end, I'm also taking off work on Wednesday, just to be on the safe side." Ditto. |
| # March 7th, 2005 6:48 PM Converted_Comment | |
I thought i was calm. bigot = One who is strongly partial to one's own group, religion, race, or politics and is intolerant of those who differ. I am by no means even moderate, but I do not hear any constructive criticism. I know, I know, what should i expect from "dummocrats.com", but I'm also from madison and have to deal with people thinking I'm ignorant of my parties shortcomings. I know a lot of liberals are worse. I'm just posting incase I'm not the only one. Nevermind. I'll read up elsewhere. |