FOUR MORE WARS

Geo-political primer for people who say that Kerry wouldn't have made a difference. Daniel, a German green activist was motivated enough to be in Ohio lobbying for a Kerry victory. Here's his response to the Bush victory:


"On Nov. 2nd, I was right where the election was lost (in the key counties in Ohio).

And it felt so good. Everyone was turning out, even though the weather was dreadful (my shoes are still damp two days later!)

Pretty much every single union voter we talked to (I was doing "Get out the Vote" door knocking with the Service Employees International Union, SEIU) had voted and had understood what was at stake.

I spoke to sweet old ladies, to rough metal sheet workers, to retired steel workers, to grumpy activists of the United Auto Workers, to young mothers concerned about the future for their kids. For once we were all in the same boat. There was an amazing buzz. Turnout in "our precints" was much higher -in some places, twice as high - as in 2000. And for what it is worth, 70-75% in those places voted Kerry (Nader was not on the ballot, about which he is still a trifle bitter: see Vote Nader...).

I saw a humane, hopeful and angry America. An unpretentious and suffering America that I had not previously had much contact with (as my contacts were limited to environmental professionals, academics etc. - the kind of well educated people I meet all the time...)

On Monday night, the biggest political rally ever in Ohio's history saw astronaut legend and retired Senator Glenn speak sense on Iraq, a surprisingly moving John Kerry commit to "real, meaningful action on the environment" in a steel town ... - and, of course, a heartfelt endorsement by "The Boss" (Bruce Springsteen)

But it just wasn't enough. The lunatic right turned out 140,000 more in Ohio, 3.5m more nationwide. A scary prospect.

I am sorry. All of us at the Cleveland election "party" somehow felt that we personally had lost this vote. We got pretty much every new voter that "America Coming Together" had identified to the polls. But we could not compete with the evangelical churches and the Catholics. Darned.

For the record, only one person (a Republican outside a polling booth) ever asked me about my passport (which is not American). The response on the door was warm, welcoming and supportive. But I was also staying way away from undecided workers, of course!

The Guardian was blamed by at least one pundit for what happened in Ohio: - we will never know.

What we do know is that we have our work cut out for ourselves. Four more wars.

FUCK.

Yours officially depressed

Daniel (on holiday until November 9th)

P.S. And for the record: I am a radical, way to the left of the (current) German Green Party, and not some Democratic stooge. But beating Bush would have been worth electing a corporate-driven Kerry, who has a lot more integrity than Clinton ever did [not that that is difficult] ..."