United States of Canada

Looking back at it, I'm still baffled as to how the Democrats managed to lose the election. Against such an apparently weak incumbent. Not so weak after all. But it's obvious that the country is polarized, party lines mean something again after being blurred for a number of years. Reconciliation isn't on the horizon, even on a clear day. Donnie Fowler, a candidate for the DNC chair:

Democrats always want to put together a list of issues -- Medicaid, Medicare, education, environment, Social Security lockbox, (...) Republicans put together a series of broad principles. You can call them values if you want to -- smaller government, you should keep more of your own money, we're going to go kick the terrorists.

We know who won that battle. How about if the Dems actually accepted how the game is played and stopped crying about issues? I'm not suggestion they should, but it'd be interesting to see if they could win a cult of personality game. Wouldn't be as much fun though with W gone.

I clipped a map drawn by a cartoonist in my hometown's paper (our infamous tabloid, Le Journal de Montréal). Canada and the Democratic states form a continuous, connected territory referred to as the United States of Canada (USC). The Republican states are dubbed Jesusland. Mmm, not that far off. Pinned it onto the outside of my room door, for my roommates to see where their allies are, and as a reminder that they just barely qualify for USC membership - Bush got 48% in MN, 49% in WI. Should we annex them, for they fear the pull of Jesusland? Why not, us Canadians be generous! Wisconsinites, keep your cheese, we only want the Packers.

About the not-so-friendly presidential inauguration, AP reports that it will be the most intense security operation in inaugural history. No doubt a nice start to the new year! I think Georgie should commission GM to build him a Bushmobile, kinda like the Popemobile. Hey the Pope is still around. Happy trails in '05 W ... remember how Easy Rider ends?