It seems to me that the mainstream media has long been completely unmoored. They don't even cover frequent US bombing raids on the "no fly zone" in Iraq anymore. If the Pentagon and the White House doesn't pass out a press release, it just isn't there. Mainstream media is stumbling around drunk on too much trivial information.

You see it in the way the liberals attacked the Nader supporters. It's like something has taken over their brains that make them forget who cast the deciding vote against his Democratic cohorts for Operation Desert Storm. They either don't know, or can't think clearly, about a career as one of America's most extreme militarists.

They either don't remember, or don't know, that Tipper and Al's anti-rock campaign started out catering to wacky religious fundamentalist paranoia, that they suggested a complicated ratings systems that would have prevented children from being able to buy "pagan" music, that there WAS the hint of censorship, and that careers were hurt . . . just like during the McCarthy era. They ignore that Gore was the primary influence in pushing the most rightwing actions of the Clinton Administration, from "welfare reform" to the various overseas interventions. Ad infinitum. So I just think it's the afternoon of the living dead, across the board.

Bush in the White House? Probably no different. The system does what it wants to do. Aside from a little bit of messing about around the edges, the President is a caretaker. Clinton found this out. Gore and Bush actually WANT to be caretakers. Anyway, whatever Bush does, the liberals will convince themselves that Gore would have done it differently, or nicer. But the evidence from Gore's career belies that assumption . . .

R.U. Sirius
rusirius@well.com
www.revolting.com

"I've been in politics a long time," said Gore campaign chairperson William Daley, "but I don't think there's ever been a night like this one." It was clear that the breathless network journalists and commentators agreed (after wiping a little egg off their faces).

All the excitement is symptomatic of media coverage generally. It is drawn to the spectacular, the surface events: who 'won' the debate, who's 'the liar' and who's 'the stupid one', who will get the numbers in which states? The difference between the candidates is not large, so the only thing to focus on is the election as a spectator sport, now in extra time.

According to Clinton, the close race proved the importance of everyone's votes. But that obscures the fact that whoever gets the White House, the Government wins. When all the votes are recounted and the surface drama is over, millions will still live in poverty and business will continue as usual.

Mike Beggs
michael_beggs@yahoo.co.uk
www.disinfo.com

Wed. 11/8/00 - Last night, I channel surfed news channels, glued to the T.V. from 6pm to 3am PST, totally amazed at what was happening. Everything was outside the box! The best was watching all those mostly white men in suits, up way past their bedtimes, figure out what to say; the TV anchors, Press Secretaries, the pundits not being able to use a teleprompter! By 5 am EST, they were eating crackers on camera to keep going! Even the Christian channel was having a field day trying to find gospel to deliver. Today, driving around in my car, I was just glad Al Gore got about a 10% lead in Washington State so I can still keep my Nader sticker on without having to duck other drivers glaring at me. Frankly, I hope we find massive corruption in Florida and the State has to vote all over again. If not, I think the next four years, whoever is elected, is going to be fun. You Go lawyers, it's all yours now.

Linda Wolf
Daughtersi@aol.com
www.daughters-sisters.org
www.youthactivism.org

People usually categorize America as governmentally democratic and economically capitalist. This election year's exorbitant corporate campaign donations have shown the new era of Americana: the capitalist government that sells its cookie-cutter products like each one's special and makes sure that the corporate machine is always well oiled, irrespective of the consequences it has on life, liberty, and justice for all. After all, if the corporations gave that type of money to underfunded programs that eliminate hunger, disease, war, environmental destruction, etc then the world probably wouldn't even need candidates. We probably wouldn’t need big companies making world’s decisions with their best interests in heart, either. Perhaps this year's elections show a shift toward a new political dynamic, but so far it seems to be another commercial for the same old product under the time worn "New and Improved" pitch. I'm embarrassed. In all the world, I'm stuck in the kitsch country.

Sara Aronson
hermes23w@disinfo.net
www.disinfo.com

Well, it looks like the American people are neck-and-neck in deciding if they want the highest office in the Land occupied by a lying media-whore or a failed businessman and recovering cocaine addict. Needless to say it would appear our little experiment in Democracy is alive and kicking with more vigor than a late-term abortion victim. That's right, boys, it's going to be a GREAT four years. Bring on the whores!