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I don't for a moment believe that Kerry actually lost the popular vote. Of all the votes lost -- with partisan scrub lists, at-the-polls shenanigans over IDs, etc., and Diebold hackings, or just plain thrown out -- a majority would undoubtedly have voted for Kerry and put him over the top. What happened was simple: last time, the Republicans stole it by the seat of their pants, so this time they ratcheted up their efforts and stole it big. They got away with it this time because the Democrats never called them on it last time. Instead, the Democratic leadership and their national support groups spent four years building the myth that the blame was with Nader. Considering who was disenfranchised, this lack of action was nothing less than Racist with a capital "R". ...Given a choice between fighting or ignoring a serious injustice, the Democratic Party leadership chose to look the other way (belated mentions near the end of this year's campaign notwithstanding). The Party got what was coming to it on Tuesday when the number of disenfranchised and unrepresented voters grew in number, in just the right states. Time to stop crying for ourselves and start DREAMING BEAUTIFULLY  I suggest we all devote our energies to reinforcing the political fortress (portland) we are lucky enough to occupy. Become highly involved in local politics. Support our new mayor and goad him to significant action. I call on all artists and creative people to ABANDON RE-STATING again and again THE PROBLEMS we all know so well exist, and instead begin to CRAFT A STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL colllective alternative vision, and then to take every action possible to realize that AMBITIOUS DREAM. We have a responsibility to the rest of the nation to do so. The summer of love all over again, PORTLAND STYLE. Protest as Lifestyle What will we accomplish by getting in the streets today? The Democrats have not cried "Fraud!" If we stand in Pioneer Square today and shout "Fraud!" we will appear fanatical, insane, ridiculous; all of the things that we ascribe to the evangelists, the fundamentalists, and Zionists that have an approval rate of about 51%. This is the time to center. Ground. Focus. Whatever you want to call it... and put your energy into your individual protests. Fight CAFTA. Fight the Forest Service. Fight those who exploit animals. Fight sweatshops. Fight corporate globalization. Fight privatization.
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