The Democratic Presidential Elect wasn’t chosen – he was built.I’ve known it since the first time I saw him grin – people’s faces don’t contort in that way. It’s unnatural, it’s the sort of movement only something with wires under its flesh could do and on top of it all, it’s just friggin’ creepy. Every time I see him I wonder if that day will be the day that whatever engine powers him will stall and his maintenance crew will come running out with the jumper cables to restart him before the crowd notices the dead heap they were about to give their votes to.Beneath the leather skin and wire understructure, there isn’t much of anything humanizing to be found there either.

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He rattles off facts and figures from some internal Rolodex and makes empty promises that can likely never be reasonably seen through, simply because they compute as the most popular stances to the mere mortals watching him – because he was programmed to.John Kerry is a cyborg.All politicians lie – it’s in the handbook – but with him there’s just something so mechanical about it all – his mannerisms, his tone and the answers themselves. It’s not good to sound like you’re reading from a prepared speech even when you’re standing there face to face, having a ‘heart to heart’ with the person who just asked you the question, as was the case in the second of the recent series of debates between the machine and the monkey.I’m inclined to choose the monkey.

His keepers have been more careful in what they allow him to say and do lately, at least. That’s progress of the good variety. Progress of the bad variety is if we keep going where we could potentially be going, which is the potential election of the simulated man. We’ve seen this in the movies, folks – the ones where the machines take over.-Damienposted by razorbladesuitcase at. As awful as i feel saying it, I believe George W. Bush will hold for a second term in office come November 2nd.As tight as the electoral polls are the eventual victor will still be the Dubya.Now i suppose it's about maintaining an image by making appearances and not doing anything too drastic or controversial.Keeping in that 46 to 48 percent approval rating for either candidate by walking on eggshells.Maybe by some freak accident the entire electoral process will fold completely, nullifying all candidates and leading to a reality based TV show called 'Who wants to be the next President?'

It's the best scenario in my eyes.Like I said, if I have to pick one I'll take the BUSH.Matt Savelliposted by razorbladesuitcase at. The third presidential debate was a debacle of misrepresented facts, lies and deceptions.I thought I'd seen it all in the second presidential debate. The president losing his cool repeatedly was hilarious, but it was also an embarrassment. Guess what, no one really watched that debate, rather they chose to watch this one, a debate which showed that neither of these men have any conviction to the truth. They care little about being truthful to the American public. But wait; maybe that's how a president is supposed to act.

That was sarcasm people.What we need for the next electoral debate is a lie detector test. These guys are born liars and they're damn good at it too. Well, Bush not so much but Kerry is great at it. They blabber on about statistics, confusing and manipulating the audience into thinking one candidate has a better grasp of the issues then the other. The fact is if you ask an expert the two candidates are merely bullshitting Americans. The majority of the statistics both men spin-doctored during the debate were out of context or incorrect.

Never mind the fact that most Americans don't understand the numbers, but the fact that both men lied knowingly in their portrayal of the numbers showed their disdain and lack of respect for the populace they're striving to impress.In terms of economics it seems Kerry is the more active liar, perhaps because he can make idle promises and put forth expensive plans. Because he has a clean slate he can do whatever he chooses too. He's also a better actor then George W.

Hey, isn't that what Americans want, to return to the days of when the great actor/president Ronald Regan was in charge? Kerry is so good at it that at times I think he confuses the president to the point of frustration. On an aside note, maybe Kerry can use that to his advantage when he becomes president and is dealing with the president of North Korea.

Wait, bad idea. We would have World War 3 for sure.The Washington Post stated “both Kerry and Bush oversimplified the employment picture, with Kerry asserting that the number of jobs has fallen by 1.6 million and with Bush saying that the number of jobs has increased by 1.9 million in the past 13 months”.Kerry failed to note that he was talking about private-sector jobs, while Bush was referring to only a brief window of time. I bet the few who watched the debate even knew the difference.When health care was brought up Kerry misleadingly suggested that his health care plan would provide health care for 'all Americans.' Most analysts believe the plan would at best, reduce by half the 45 million people without health insurance. Bush pointed that bit of misinformation out but in a vague mismanaged way.

Kerry came across the winner again not because of his genius plan but rather because he know how to jump around the periphery of certain issues and by telling the American public what they want to hear.Moreover, Kerry often gives an inflated impression of his role on legislation, saying he 'led the fight' on certain issues or implying that he deserves credit for the genesis and success of certain bills. However, as several Washington Post profiles of Kerry have noted, his 20-year Senate career he is usually the follower, not the leader. Bush left these lies uncontested and once again Kerry was allowed to come across as the better man.In the segment on the No Child Left Behind Bill, Kerry accused Bush of under funding the act by $28 billion.

The Washington post states, “His assertion is based on the fact that funding has not reached the level authorized by the legislation - not uncommon for many bills - but he neglected to say that funding for the Education Department has increased about 60 percent during Bush's tenure”. Worse Bush understated his accomplishment saying the increase was 49 percent. So in essence, even when Bush is in the right, he still is so inept that he comes across as being in the wrong.So from the picture painted above, one can say Kerry's lies often to get him self out of trouble. His lies make him out to be the better candidate.

When Bush lies he manages to put his own foot in his mouth. His lies make him look more stupid and leave him even more prone to attack.In the debate Bush denied that he said “he didn't care about the hunt for Bin Laden”.

Bush said Kerry's comment about Osama bin Laden was 'one of those exaggerations,' but in a news conference on March 13, 2002, Bush said when asked about the search for the al Qaeda leader: 'So I don't know where he is. You know, I just don't spend that much time on him. And I wouldn't necessarily say he's at the center of any command structure. And, again, I don't know where he is. I - I'll repeat what I said.

I truly am not that concerned about him.' That news conference happened and the fact Bush denied it either means he's really that dumb or he's a man with little integrity.So what's worse, a liar who is able to hide the fact he's lying, or a liar who isn't really good at it in the first place? My advice, be more wary of the man who is able to hide his lies and convince you to buy into them. Such a man was Bush when he chose to go into Iraq in the first place.

But in this election that man is Senator Kerry.Shawn Lawrenceposted by razorbladesuitcase at. The debates are over. Much of the campaigning has reached an end. Conventions have past. In a couple weeks the American people will finally head to the polling station to elect the next President of the United States, barring another Florida disaster.

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Granted George W. Bush was able to make a small dent in the lead John Kerry had gained through his first debate, I still don't believe he should remain in the white house.The role of president has been tarnished over the years. There was Richard Nixon and his infamous “Watergate scandal”, and then there was Bill Clinton with his even more infamous “Zippergate scandal”. George Bush hasn't necessarily tarnished the role, but he will be forever known for two things. 9/11 and the capture of Suddam Hussein.

Of course had Hussein been the cause of 9/11 then his capture would be fantastic and Bush would be renowned as a hero. Unfortunately, he had absolutely no participation in that tragedy whatsoever. Bush's black mark on his title comes in the fact that he cannot nail the guy who caused the largest terrorist attack in US history. What does that say for the leader?

In a situation like this, just trying is simply not good enough. I don't know if Kerry would be able to catch him immediately, but I say give him a chance.Fahrenheit 9/11 by all accounts was a bias film. Nevertheless, President Bush was sitting in an elementary school classroom while New York City was going through an awful attack. Does upsetting a few 3rd graders to help the better of the country make you a bad person George? I think they would get over it, especially if their parents were pilots, or had relatives in Manhattan.

“We're going to do everything in our power to catch Osama Bin Laden. Now watch me hit this drive.” Come on G.W.

I don't know for what purpose Bush was filming that little tid-bit, but I do know Bin Laden would be relishing in the fact that the leader of the free world is talking about him while on the golf course.John Kerry doesn't have to do a better job that Bush to be called a success. All his has to do is not do a worse job. In sports it would be related to the phrase “not playing to win, but playing not to lose.” Kerry has to run the country not to lose to do a better job then, hopefully, his predecessor.

If he cuts taxes, great. If he provides better health care, that's gravy. But all Kerry has to do essentially is avoid going to war. Most of the American public aren't concerned as much with taxes and health care than if their state is going to blow up. Nor of course does the media. Which is the main reason the debates were focused more on homeland security than every day issues.Reports this past week indicated Bush was wired and being fed answers by his advisors throughout the first debate. Would that actually surprise anyone?

For a guy who can't speak in intelligent language, why would anyone expect him to be able to think that way? John Kerry is far more educated than his counterpart, and really seems to have a better grasp on every situation. It seems that he would attack problems with brains instead of flying by the seat of his pants and acting on every childish and animalistic instinct he gets. As far as the wire goes, John Edwards remarked on late night talk show “it was probably his battery.” I found that both funny and somewhat truthful. Of course Bush doesn't run on batteries, but it seems obvious to me that Bush is a puppet controlled by his cabinet. Hell, this guy can't run a country with a C+ average in college.

The sad fact is his puppet masters don't appear to be much smarter than him.George Bush has put America in the worst debt in its history. He has grown the debt in his four years than any other president in the history of the country. John Kerry would not do that. He used to be a lawyer; lawyers do not lose money. He might make a little money on the side chasing a couple ambulances, but anything he can do to cut the debt at this point would be useful.-Tylerposted by razorbladesuitcase at. The president of the United States of America!A Title of great power and significance felt throughout ones soul, especially when said aloud.Not to mention a great honour to those proud men who were lucky and willing enough to accept their call to duty.It is a vocation that is as honourable and significant as the men who have filled the position in its two hundred and fifteen year history.

Some great names come to mind:(no party 1789-1797), America's first president who's past times include and organized resistance. A name we will never forget.Thomas Jefferson (Dem/Rep1801-1809).

His turn-ons include, and of course acting as one of the innovators of the country's Imperialist ideal; initiating the and America's expansion in to the west.Andrew Jackson (Dem 1829-1837) was also one of the great of American history. He was a people's President who stood up to the establishment by calling on the Second National Bank of America and it's 'unconstitutional' ways. Claiming the bank had power over congress and favoured southern and mid-west states, leaving a vast population in troublesome financial times.Right before his canonization in to saint-hood, this martyr for the American People signed the forcing a great number of Cherokee natives to hand over their land and disperse throughout the expansive country by any means necessary. Even when the Cherokee nation had the law remanded by the supreme court in 1832, Jackson used his power of Presidency to ignore the supreme court ruling and move through Cherokee land anyway, causing a conflict which resulted in nearly four thousand Cherokee Indian deaths.Slander, it's all slander I tell you.Yes, it is true that these previously mentioned Presidents served during the first fifty years of America as a unified entity. Slavery and its extreme social division still existed, while the concentration of power in the presidential office was rarely questioned and almost never compromised.

Opinions regarding the elections effect on Canada differ depending on whom you’re talking to. Some people respond with a who cares mentality, and others think that the outcome will have an astronomical effect on Canada for the next four years. So, why is it important to Canadians? Sovereignty tells us that no outside factors can crucially effect what ultimately goes on inside another country. But there are some issues that change depending on who is elected as the next U.S. President.For instance, John Kerry has said that he will stop the Canadian garbage exports from Toronto to Michigan.

Something like that would create problems for us immediately. People of the GTA will have to find an alternative to where they can dispose of their garbage and fast. The strike that resulted in people having nowhere to throw their garbage, proved just how bad the situation can get. Pollution was much higher during that time and the same would result if there were suddenly nowhere to export our garbage. Thus, for people in the GTA, there is a little more importance placed on the outcome of this election.Another issue is the Great Lakes Proposals.

This would divert the great lakes water from Canadian to the United States. Over ten million Canadians rely on the water we get from the great lakes, along with approximately thirty-five million Americans. Clearly the percentage of Canadians that rely on it is much greater, around 34% of Canadian water is from the great lakes while only 12% of Americans get their water from them. The agreement known as the “Implementing Agreement for Annex 2001” would result in limited diversions of the water.

This has caused Ontario to sign onto the deal to merely prevent a larger scale diversion of the water. If 1/3 of Canadians water supply is taken away, we will be left with much fewer options.Another issue between Canada and the U.S. Is the suspicion that many Americans have that we are allowing terrorists into their country via our borders.

Obviously absurd, but if Bush is re-elected, this could become a much bigger issue. There is also a missile protection program between them and us that Bush has proposed; this would potentially be thrown out the window if Kerry were elected.Look, the bottom line is that this election doesn’t have an enormous affect on Canadians, but it would be foolish to think it will have no affect at all. The total conflict in ideology between Paul Martin and George Bush could create problems all on its own.

If our partnership with the States is a little weaker, and our relationship is a little rocky, then our economy could be the thing that suffers the most from this election. All in all, I do still believe in the sovereignty a nation has, and although our relationship with the U.S. May change, or our garbage will have to be thrown out in Canada, that when push came to shove the Americans would help Canada if it were in trouble and will still be a prosperous business partner.Michael DiPettaposted by razorbladesuitcase at.