You have arrived at the web home of Noah Brier. This is mostly an archive of over a decade of blogging and other writing. You can read more about me or get in touch. If you want more recent writing of mine, most of that is at my BrXnd marketing x AI newsletter and Why Is This Interesting?, a daily email for the intellectually omnivorous.
Editor's Note: Not sure if I need to keep mentioning this, but this is an essay in a series from people who want to tell the world how they feel about the re-election of George W. Bush. If you'd like to add your thoughts to the mix, send them to writing@noahbrier.com.
It seems to me that I would have a difficult time in finding 10 people that I know (not necessarily even 10 people I like) who would admit to voting for George W. Bush and giving the Republicans full power in the House and Senate. Is it that I live in a time and space where my views and beliefs are so far to either side of the norm that I can't figure out why people would even contemplate voting for this man? I have attempted to list a few key strengths that I believe those people identified with and want to let them know what I believe:
1. Strong Defense Policies - His defense is to attack before being attacked. Alienate thy neighbor before he alienates you. Build a coalition of a few nations in the name of many and lie about its strength. Concentrate on a single enemy and make him out to be our biggest threat (the Boogie Man Syndrome). Ignore the opinions of our allies and don't even pretend to be listening. (I am not suggesting that if attacked wait for your friends to go to your aid, although it wouldn't hurt. I agree with what we did in Afghanistan.) It is going to take many years for us to re-establish ourselves as a country to respect and trust. I hope I am around long enough to even see the beginnings of that.
2. Strong Economic Policies - The deficit is getting to be so large that my Great-Grandchildren will be paying for it (that's a long time away). It has given me a tax break that I did not want or deserve. Big companies control the Republican Party and the Republic Party controls big companies (ala Halliburton).
3. Protection of Civil Liberties, Gay Rights & Women's Rights - The Constitutional rights of these groups will likely be taken away from them in the name of National Security and/or fear of changing what Bush considers to be his norm. His strong religious beliefs will also be an even more controlling factor in our soon to change laws.
4. Last but not least, George W. Bush's real agenda is to make the separation of Church and State a much much smaller gap. His real purpose is to put people in power (especially the Supreme Court) that can take these previously granted rights away from us with a mere smirk of his face. This country's basic foundation of tolerance will continue to erode under this newly re-elected President unless we speak up.
I hope we all remember how we feel today and not let this sense of failure control our need to keep our true beliefs from being compromised.
Michael Brier is a COO and a damn good father.