He took a bullet for usSunday, December 17, 2000 by Dave Winer. A few days laterFour days later and Al Gore's concession speech is still a home run. Out of the park. It still makes me cry to hear it. It's still doing it's healing magic. I'd love to meet the guy some day and shake his hand. What a speech. Who thought the guy had so much class. In the NY Times they say he took a bullet for us. I think it's a good metaphor. He could have kept fighting, and it would have hurt all of us. It takes patriotism to put your own interests aside and let it go. This is something Clinton wouldn't do. Thanks Al. A real American, after all. Selfish peopleIn the meantime there are some horribly selfish people floating around the US. Or so it seems to me. The same people who used Nazi imagery to describe Republicans, they still have something to say, and I would love to know what it is, because nothing is as black and white as they say. If you think the US Supreme Court took the easy way out (I do, but I also think they did the best they could), remember that the Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court had some harsh words for his colleagues, all of whom were appointed by Democrats. (Hey it was 4-3 there too.) Sure, there was some slippin and slidin in the last few go-rounds in the judicial process. Now two words make the most sense to me. Move on. Two more. Fix it. We can argue till we're blue in the face whether Bush has a mandate or not, but one thing is clear, *we* have a mandate -- to retake our government. Remember "Of the people, by the people and for the people." You get the kind of government you really want. If we want to take it over, we have the power. Let's start with the mid-term elections. One whole house of our national legislature is up for grabs. Let's stop being so powerless. We're not actually as powerless as we act. BTW, my representative, Zoe Lofgren, is one of the most shameless spinners. I'm going to work for her opponents in the next primary and I'll even work for a Republican if I have to. Out with Lofgren. I want a responsible adult representing this responsible adult. How can I help?Let's fix the whole thing. We win. That's my political party. Dave Winer |