What a relief it is!

It has been interesting watching this election from outside the US. We experienced it the same way Americans experience events in Europe: through the square (or rectangle) box in the living room. It gives you a sort of secluded, distilled version of events, whereas if we were in the US, we would have gotten the barrage of info from the various forms of news media as well as hearing/seeing the "word on the street", the conversations in the grocery check-out lane, the fervor at the polling station.

We are completely thrilled to hear the news as the vote-counting is finishing and felt a great wave of schadenfreude watching Bush's press conference yesterday. Ooh, he was piiiiiiiiiiiissed! And didn't do a good job of hiding it. The Republicans got a "thumping" in the House and the Senate. Then the luscious, silky icing on the cake: the war-mongering weasel Rumsfeld resigning! How sweet it is! We're looking forward to seeing how things progress during the next two years and we'll be watching it happen on our rectangular box in the living room.

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Here's a nice message from Michael Moore on the subject:

LANDSLIDE! ...a big thanks from Michael Moore

November 8th, 2006

Friends,

You did it! We did it! The impossible has happened: A majority of Americans have soundly and forcefully removed Bush's party from control of the House of Representatives and the Republicans have also, miraculously, been tossed out of running our United States Senate. This was done because the American people wanted to make two things crystal clear: End this war, and stop Mr. Bush from doing any more damage to this country we love. That is what this election was about. Nothing else. Just that. And it's a message that has sent shock waves throughout Washington -- and a note of hope around this troubled world.

Now the real work begins. Unless we stay on top of these Democrats to do the right thing, they will do what they've always done: Screw it up. Big Time. They helped Bush start this war, and now they should make amends.

But let's take a day to rejoice and revel in a rare victory for our side -- the side that doesn't believe in unprovoked invasions of other countries. This is your day, my friends. You have worked hard for it. I can't tell you how proud I am to count all of you as part of the greater American mainstream we now occupy. Thank you for all the time you gave this week to get out the vote. Some of you have been at this since the large demonstrations of February 2003 when we tried to stop the war before it started. Only 10-20% of the country agreed with us at that time. Remember how lonely that was? Some people were even booed! Now, 60% of the country agrees with our position. They are us and we are them. What a nice, strange, hopeful feeling.

A woman, for the first time in our history, will be Speaker of the House. The attempt to ban all abortion in the conservative state of South Dakota was defeated. Laws to raise the minimum wage were passed. Democrats were elected to fill Tom DeLay's and Mark Foley's seats. Detroit's John Conyers, Jr. is going to be the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. The Democratic governor of Michigan beat the CEO from Amway. The little township next to where I live in Michigan voted Democratic for the first time since... ever. And on and on and on. The good news will continue throughout today. Let's enjoy it. Savor it. And use it to get Congress to finally listen to the majority.

If you want to do one thing today, send an email or a letter to both of your senators and your member of Congress and tell them, in no uncertain terms, what this election means: End the war -- and don't let George W. Bush get away with any more of his bright ideas.

Congratulations, again! Now let's go find a spine for the Dems to do the job we've sent them there to do.

Yours in victory (for once!),

Michael Moore
mmflint@aol.com
www.michaelmoore.com

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And a few topical video clips:

Truth and Fiction

What's a midterm election?

Borat on TDS Midterm Midtacular

Beat-box Bush