Blogosphere Election Roundup

There are, quite literally, millions of blogs out there, but here are

my favourite writeups on the US election that I’ve seen. Feel free to

point out more in the comments!

Andrew Sullivan and I are in agreement (except, of course, that I dig chicks):

The header currently under the title of

my pal Jeff Jarvis’ blog, BuzzMachine, has “The Post Election Peace Pledge”,

which was read alound on CNN last night. It’s worth a thousand times more than any Bush campaign loyalty oath:

I promise to… Support the President, even if I didn’t vote for

him….. Criticize the President, even if I did vote for him…..

Uphold standards of civilized discourse in blogs and in media while

pushing both to be better…. Unite as a nation, putting country over

party, as we work together to make America better.

Paul Wells takes the “youth vote”, the only group whose level of participation did not rise from 2000’s levels, to task:

The majestic Howard Dean

coalition — youth, new voters, the “wired,” the “disenfranchised”

— remains the France of electoral coalition-building: genuinely useful,

if only it would freaking show up for the freaking fight.

Sorry, but I’m a bit bitter about this. Participation soared across

every demographic, including the underestimated People Michael Moore

Likes to Make Fun Of. But the young-new-“disenfranchised” set sat

around and played Halo 2 on the X-box instead of, you know, freaking voting.

These are the same people who couldn’t be arsed to pick up the phones

at Dean headquarters in South Carolina when I was there in January.

(Fun Canadian fact: the Canadian leader who has put all of his hopes —

and I mean all his hopes — on the Howard Dean coalition of non-voting non-voters is Jack Layton. Explains a lot, really.)

Doc Searls, never failing in his role as adult supervision for the blogosphere, writes:

The real

story was, and remains, connected democracy. The tough lesson for those

of us on the Left is learning that those of us on the Right were no

less connected — just a lot less obvious about it.

While we were “taking back” America, they were keeping it safe. From us. Eleven states voted to ban gay marriage. Whoa. 

Strict Fatherism beat Nurturant Parentism.

The job for progressives remains the same as it’s been since Reagan reframed political debate in 1980. 

Meanwhile, the job for techies is to leverage the best of the Libertarian agenda. That is, if we want to Save the Net.

On Metafilter, in response to a “Fuck Christians” snipe, comes this reply:

>> Fuck christians. Fuck them and their

>> backward minds.

> … And you people wonder why you lost …

Good Lord, is this what we have to look forward to over the next four

years? More demonizing, recriminations, hatred and anger?

To my friends on the Right: you won! Enjoy it, but don’t come around

here twisting the knife and then feigning indignation that people are

pissed off by it.

To my friends on Left: get over the anger and divisiveness. Anyone but

Bush ™ doesn’t work. We tried it for two years, and you know what?

We lost ground. Take a look at the electoral map. Regroup, and come up

with something positive and inclusive. That’s the only way to defend

against being marginalized.

This leads me to what my friend Dan Gillmor wrote today:

People say there are two Americas. I think there are at least three.

One is Bush’s America: an amalgam of the extreme Christian

“conservatives,” corporate interests and the builders of the burgeoning

national-security state.

Another is the Democratic “left”: wedded to the old, discredited politics in a time that demands creative thinking.

I suspect there’s a third America: members of an increasingly

radical middle that will become more obvious in the next few years,

tolerant of those who are different and aware that the big problems of

our times are being ignored — or made worse — by those in power today.

That third America needs a candidate. Or, maybe, a new party.

Let me close with a local blogger — one with whom I often agree to disagree on political issues. Here’s Accordion City’s Kathy “Relapsed Catholic” Shaidle, who graciously writes:

I didn’t take Jeff Jarvis’ pledge (which was recited on CNN last night!) but can offer this crappy prayer type thing:

Please

pray for George Bush, even if you didn’t vote for him. Especially if

you did. Don’t try to think of something clever to say, like, “Give him

wisdom” if you can’t think of the “right” words. Just pray, “God bless

George Bush”. God knows what we want and need better than we do.

Although I’d throw in a “keep him safe” because, well, because. That eventuality really worries me, now more than ever.

Please

do the same for John Kerry, even if you voted for him. Especially if

you didn’t. We are commanded to pray for our “enemies”, our opponents.

This does both them and us good. Try it if you don’t believe me. I know

it’s hard, but just squeeze out the first “God bless John Kerry” and

you’ll be surprised how easily the rest come out. If you can’t bring

yourself to pray for John Kerry (or George Bush), pray for the

willingness to pray for them, some day. Again: this works amazing

wonders.

Catholics don’t need to be told: take up your rosaries.

This isn’t something I can explain to non-Catholics. But those of you

who know, know.

Don’t pray for victory. Just pray. God’s will will be done regardless. Pray to accept whatever happens.