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The whole planet’s gone to the dogs. In a weird and deeply flawed way, the Bush victory is comforting to me, because it means my country isn’t the only one that’s lost it’s soul. But that’s a very small comfort indeed.

Four more years of lies, war, greed and triumphalism. Four more years spreading fear, hatred and division. Four more years chipping away at the civil, political and legal systems. Four more years of terror.

Owen Harries summed up the meaning of this on last night’s PM:

I mean, it’s a close thing, and I think one should remember that what this election shows, I think more than anything, is that America is a deeply and bitterly divided country.

Who knows where we’ll all be in four years’ time, but I doubt it’ll be a better place.

Meantime, let’s maintain the rage. Fight the right. Unite, resist, and work for change.

Aux armes citoyens!
Formez vos bataillons!
Marchons, marchons
Qu’un sang impur
Abreuve nos sillons

Happy thought of the day: I didn’t really care for John Kerry anyway.

I’ve just been listening to analysis of the US election on PM, the SBS and ABC News, and the 7:30 Report. The pundits here in Oz are all calling it a “Bush victory” and John Edwards’ optimistic comments (“We’ve waited four years for this victory – we can wait one more night”) are looking increasingly, depressingly, tragically, desperate.

“Victory” is a commodity in very scarce supply tonight.
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… that Nader isn’t even on the ballot in Ohio.

Currently the electoral college split is 249:211. To win from here, Bush needs either Nevada or New Mexico (or both) plus Ohio. Kerry needs Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Hawaii … plus Ohio.

It’s desperately important to stress that, at this stage, both scenarios are still possible. Kerry is gaining on Bush in Ohio, and has passed Bush in Nevada, but he still has a long way to go.

Just had a look at the latest from the US Presidential election. By my reckoning Bush has won Florida, and looks safe in Colorado and New Mexico. Ohio is the only remaining big state in doubt, and it’s clearly more likely for Bush than Kerry. Still too close to call but not looking good.

Meanwhile, the good people of Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Oklahoma, Ohio, Utah and Montana have voted to ban gay marriage. An 11th state – Oregon – is still to come, but that’s not looking good either.

OK, maybe a little early yet, but the race is on. I hope all my US readers did the right thing. I sure hope y’all remembered to vote at least.

Now: I plan to keep an eye on the results as they come in through the day. Any suggestions of the website which is likely to give me the least biased, most up-to-date coverage? (The image above is from CNN, which I trust like a real estate agent).

As the world’s largest democracy (snigger) enters a period of furious and blatant voter fraud only occasionally interrupted by the nuisance of an actual election, there’s an article in Slate about Australia’s compulsory voting system.

There are a few errors in this piece but mostly its an interesting article looking at one of the curiosities of Participatory Democracy, Oz Style from the viewpoint of the US, which likes to pretend it has a clue about how to run an election. I’ve had my own attempt at explaining how we do things here.

All the signs at this point are suggesting that the American election will be even more sordid, poorly run, and open to abuse than the last, rather embarrassing effort. Tim Dunlop links to a piece in the Washington Post which lists numerous examples of (a) outrageous attempts to subvert the democratic system; or (b) the gullibility of Americans, depending on your point of view.

Take this one, for example:

[I]n Allegheny County [Pennsylvania], election officials received a flurry of phone calls about fliers handed out at a Pittsburgh area mall and mailed to an unknown number of homes. The flier, distributed on bogus but official-looking stationery with a county letterhead, told voters that “due to immense voter turnout expected on Tuesday,” the election had been extended. Republicans should vote Tuesday, Nov. 2, it said — and Democrats on Wednesday.

The similarities to this story in The Onion are obvious:

MIAMI, FL—With the knowledge that the minority vote will be crucial in the upcoming presidential election, Republican Party officials are urging blacks, Hispanics, and other minorities to make their presence felt at the polls on Wednesday, Nov. 3.

“Minority voters should make their unique voices heard, especially the African-American voting bloc, which is always a major factor in every election,” said Florida Republican Party voter-drive organizer Mark Monreal, as he handed out flyers at a community center in the mostly black Miami neighborhood of South Farms. “That’s why we put up hundreds of brightly colored banners featuring Martin Luther King Jr. and the ‘Vote November 3′ reminder. We needed to make sure they know when we want them at polling places.”

So now we know where the Republicans get their dirty tricks from.

(Via The Road to Surfdom)