There are of course scores of post-mortem blurbs I could copy and forward
expressing the other side of Toni's forward. But you've probably read
several of them. I know I've read through plenty of "Open Letters to the
Red States" and many, many comentaries such as the one proffered in this
thread.
Here are a couple of points I'd make. Most of angst from those who are
having a hard time handling the results of the election are based on the
Boogie Man created by Kerry and the media than it is from any real or
proposed action of the administration. Not all of it, to be sure, but most
of it.
Second, the same way the left is wagging it's head in disbelief now, I was
witness to groups of conservatives before the election wagging their heads
in a similar manner saying "Aren't these people paying attention to what
Kerry is saying? How could someone possible vote for him, I just don't get
it!" The notion that Bush was reelected by a lot of mindless fundies
rushing out on the 2nd saying "Gotta vote for the Lawwwd" doesn't stand up
to inspection. Sure, a lot of that was the platform of Boogie Man just
like the other side was doing. But most of the people I knew who voted for
Bush were intelligent and well informed.
The very same way the liberals are aghast that an administration would want
to get into their bedrooms and wombs where it doesn't belong, the
conservatives had exactly the same sentiment about their pockets, their gun
cabinets, their private property ... where they strongly, strongly feel the
government doesn't belong.
These are the things the left must endeavor to understand if ever they are
to get the rest of the country to consider any validity in their political
stance.