Shaun Lewis: the Man, the Myth, the Legend

Well, it seems as though it’s over. John Kerry just conceded Ohio, horrible, horrible Ohio, to George Bush. That means Bush has 274 votes. I guess Kerry just didn’t have the heart for it anymore.

The bastard.

Well, Kerry just lost Florida according to the latest results on CNN. That pretty much rules out any easy victory. The only way he can win now is through the legal process that will undoubtedly follow. So, I guess no one will know who the next President is for a little while. For those of you out there complaining about John Kerry being a sore loser, it should be noted that NO ONE HAS WON. It’s impossible to be a sore loser if there is no clear victor. By calling Kerry a loser, you’re implying Bush has won–neither of them won or lost. That’s a little pet peeve of mine.

Also, it should be noted that recounts in close elections are actually very, very common. Particularly in Ohio. The machines used to count the ballots are only accurate up to 2% (according to factory specifications). That’s in theory; 4% is probably closer for the actual practice. So, if the victor wins by less than 4%, a recount is possible. If the victory is by 3% or less, a recount is safe bet. So, don’t go complaining about recounts, because both parties would have done the same no matter what.

I do find it kind of funny New York voted for Kerry. Clearly, they do not know who would do a better job protecting them because Bush is the obvious choice with his record… right?

So, while I was sitting here waiting for the polls to close so everyone can start to get a picture of who will be the next President of the United States, I started surfing CNN’s website. I found a list of times that polls close (in Eastern Standard Time, of course). Since Alaska’s polls close at 1 a.m. EST, I started thinking to myself, “Wouldn’t it be funny if by midnight each candidate had 267 electoral votes and the whole election came down to Alaska?”

This struck me as funny because Alaska sucks.

Well, it’s finally the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, so you know what that means… It’s Election Day! For most Americans, Election Day is nothing to get excited about, but this year is certainly different. I don’t know if those who are reading this, but this election is quite probably one of the most important elections in recent history. The outcome of this election will affect a war (whether you feel it’s unjust or not), our position in the global community (there is one, by the way… it’s NOT just the United States plodding along by itself–history teaches us that), the very nature of separation of church and state (gay marriage), 1st Amendment rights in the form of some of the various acts up for renewal, acts passed and, what I feel the most important issue of all, Supreme Court Justice selection. Yes, the next President will probably have to select a new Supreme Court Justice, and being that the Court is essentially divided evenly now, the next political background of the next Justice will have major ramifications for the future of the country and the world.

So, go vote right now.