Election Day Reflections

NOVEMBER 3, 2004
By GREGORY J. RUMMO

          "FOUR YEARS LATER, [America] is still a divided country—perhaps more sullenly than ever—but as a long election night bled into morning the evidence was clear that it is becoming a more Republican one.” So began an analysis of Election Day results in the Wednesday, Nov. 3 Washington Post. Several considerations to ponder.

Finally, there will be no more talk of an “illegitimate president.” Not only did George W. Bush win re-election by a majority of electoral votes but also by popular vote. And the total number was the largest ever cast for a president in the history of this country. The Bush campaign was successful in rallying its base, including evangelicals who turned out in greater numbers than four years earlier.   

            But even though the popular vote for Bush was huge, there is still a cultural divide in America which I think can be crystallized into one component: Abortion. And with Chief Justice Rehnquist’s health now an unknown and potentially three other Supreme Court Justices considering retirement, the abortion debate is only certain to become more heated on both sides.  

            How should Bush deal with this polarization of the American electorate? It’s clear that screaming at one another in win-the-debate sound bites on the evening cable news programs only makes for ratings. Here’s one suggestion: Keep the evangelicals energized—not politically—but encourage them to do what their name implies—go out and evangelize—win the hearts of Americans by sharing the Good News of the Gospel. Once hearts are won, minds will follow and then, change will be possible. 

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            With the stock market up over 70 points at midday on Election Day, early exit polls surprised investors with the news that Senator Kerry was ahead. The market immediately tanked and the Dow closed down, not by a huge amount but enough to betray which candidate the investment community had its money on. On Wednesday morning, although no official winner had yet been declared, it was clear that the president would be re-elected. The financial markets rallied with the Dow opening up about 140 points. So which candidate really has the best plans for the economy?  My money is on the guys who know how to read the tea leaves.  

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            I have finally concluded that a “disenfranchised voter” is a polite way to characterize the true “Ugly American.” I do not include in that scathing rebuke those men and women on active military duty in a foreign country whose ballots were not given a reasonable amount of time to arrive in the US to be counted. I am talking about the people who are too lazy to spend five minutes on the phone to request a voter registration form.

            Listening to activist groups whine over the issue, you’d think voter registration was on the level of difficulty akin to solving the Schroedinger wave equation for the one-electron atom.   

If you liked this column, there's more in Rummo's new book, published in August 2004, "The View from the Grass Roots - Another Look." It's 536 pages of sometimes humorous, sometimes poignant and almost always provocative commentary on American Culture. $19.95 shipping and handling included. Click here for more information.

It’s not rocket science to look through the phone book for the number of the local election board, make a call and then, when the registration form arrives in the mail a week or so later, spend ten minutes filling it out and place a $0.37 stamp on the envelope to mail it back.

If you can’t register yourself to vote, you shouldn’t be allowed within 100 feet of any polling place. 

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In the eleven states where gay marriage bans were on the ballot, all passed with huge majorities despite the mainstream media’s repeated attempts to champion the cause. The homosexual community has tried to characterize opponents of gay marriage as intolerant, bigoted, religious (read Christian) homophobes. But mention of religion isn’t necessary. Americans will never vote to approve what they know nature teaches is wrong. 

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With a net pick-up of four Republican seats in the Senate and the defeat of minority leader Tom Daschle, this year’s election has furthered the gains of the conservative revolution in America that began in 1980 when Ronald Reagan was elected president. Although Bill Clinton won two successive terms in the 1990’s, he never achieved a majority of the popular vote. The totals of Bush and Perot in 1992 and Dole and Perot in 1996 demonstrated that for every ten Americans that went to the polls in those races, six of them voted against Bill Clinton. It was also during Clinton’s first term in the mid-year elections of 1994 when Congress shifted into Republican control largely because of Newt Gingrich’s “Contract with America.” Clinton was forced to appear more conservative in order to win re-election two years later and eventually signed the Welfare Reform Act. Indeed, America is becoming a more Republican country. n

 Gregory J. Rummo is an author and syndicated columnist. His latest book, “The View from the Grass Roots—Another Look,” was just published. Visit GregRummo.com  for more information.