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I intended to title this thread, "The Sore Winners Circle", because I felt,
until I read this....<a href="http://www.civilwarhome.com/surrender.htm">http://www.civilwarhome.com/surrender.htm</a>
.......that adding the word "sore" to the thread would be entirely appropriate,
in view of the scope of the damage that I believe has been caused to the
country, its institutions of government, its conventions, such as the tradition
of uniting in times of crisis, and adherence to the belief in cherished freedoms,
such as those detailed in the bill or rights, its commitment to environmental
protection, initially via legislation signed by President Nixon, and its stated
goal and policy of energy conservation and independence, also intiated by
Nixon, and embrace and supported until this Bush administration. The damage
done to the creditworthiness of the U.S. and to the soundness of its currency,
and the state of our foreign relations also figure prominently in any assessment
of the damage.

I anticipate the voting today to effect a result not unlike a bloodless coup,
and, in view of the fierceness of the division that we Americans find ourselves
now engaged in, not unlike a bloodless civil war, to be resolved just as our
Constitution's framers, envisioned.

Reading the page linked above, I compared the damage wrought by our
Civil War, ended 139 years ago, and I was moved by the way that Generals
U.S. Grant and R.E. Lee conducted themselves as they arranged for and
then met to put an end to four years of armed conflict. As alarmed as I
have become over the current polarized climate in our country, we do not
vote today under a cloud of hundreds of thousands of casualties of our
own divided countrymen. It gives me hope, that despite such carnage as
both armies had rendered on each other by April, 1865, the leaders of the
two opposing armies still possessed the civilty and humanity, and, foremost,
the respect for each other to accomplish what they did at Appomatox.
Who are we to treat each other, now, with any less deference ?

I intend now for the purpose of this thread to be a place to post congratulatory messages<br> to the supporters of the winning presidential
candidate, and to post ideas on how best to heal the schism of
partisan ambition that impairs our nation going forward. If the election is too
close to call, and the result is delayed or mired down by challenges and lawsuits, my hope is that this thread <br>and this forum can be reserved for the peaceful exchange of constructive ideas and opinion, and of referenced information and news.

God Bless George W. Bush and John F. Kerry, and God bless America!