"If you are part of a society that votes, then do so. There may be no candidates and no measures you want to vote for…but there are certain to be ones you want to vote against. In case of doubt, vote against. By this rule you will rarely go wrong. If this is too blind for your taste, consult some well-meaning fool (there is always one around) and ask his advice. Then vote the other way. This enables you to be a good citizen (if such is your wish) without spending the enormous amount of time on it that truly intelligent exercise of franchise requires."
-- The Notebooks of Lazarus Long (Robert A. Heinlein)
(Graphics h/t to TBogg (above) and Patriotboy (below).)
4 comments:
Salam JD - So, what's the implication if Bush wins or loses this election? Will he actually have to leave office before his term expires? I'm totally not getting it.
Wa 'alaikum salaam.
Bush himself is not up for re-election in this vote (tomorrow). Moreover, this is his second term, so he can't run for re-election in 2008. (Alhamdulillah!) Tomorrow's election is a "mid-term" election in which many Congressional and gubernatorial seats are up for grabs.
The big concern is with Congress. The US Congress is made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The entire House is elected once every two years; for the Senate, 1/3 of the 100 Senators are elected once every two years (every Senator has a 6-year term). The President, Congress and Supreme Court are all supposed to provide checks and balances against each other, at least in theory, but realistically this only happens when the Presidency and the majorities of either or both Congressional houses are of opposition parties.
The problem has been that, since 2000, the Presidency, both houses of Congress, and the Supreme Court have all been under Republican party control. This has allowed Republican policies and ideas to be implemented almost completely unchecked. Hence, you have problems like the Iraq War and various corruption scandals emerging and evolving unchecked. (Likewise, per today's "The Economist," federal spending per capita has grown 3.1% under Bush fils, the second highest growth rate since President Johnson back in the mid-60s. The Economist attributes Bush's high growth rate to the fact that there is a unified government, where the President's party controls the House and Senate during most of the President's term.)
So this election represents a chance by the Democrats to take back one or both houses of Congress (almost certainly the House; quite possibly the Senate, insha'allah). If the Democrats do indeed take one or both houses, we'll almost certainly see the Bush presidency frustrated in their ability to influence policy their final two years, insha'allah. I am personally hoping that this election will help to bring about a number of Congressional investigations that are needed to expose the wrongdoing of this administration, insha'allah. If that should happen, then we'll see the cockroaches scurrying for cover, insha'allah.
Ah, ok that explains it all! Thanks!
Salam.
Salam JD - Now that the Democrats have the majority, it'll be interesting to see more nasties uncovered. I'm keeping an eye on Guantanamo Bay, specifically. I read James Yee's "For God and Country" and was appalled by what I read. That reminds me, I should blog abt that book soon...
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