red state + blue state = poo state

so i was reading The Atlantic on BART today and got to thinking about the election and how the US is supposed to be so polarized. But Kerry and Bush shared a common vision for the Middle East: get tough(er). And the problem is, this is what sells to Americans - toughness. It's why we love football, and Vin Diesel movies, and NASCAR. They're gritty. Americans don't like to think they can lose (e.g. Vietnam). But its also why we will lose "the war on terrorism" by fighting it the way we are. I think this bravado is a pretty scary trait of a people (my people!) who need to suck it up, and put some diplomacy and outreach and aid into the countries whose churches we are bombing, houses we are raiding, and children we are killing. Yes, get the hell out of there - that's why we're hated to begin with; but install aid and go back home and spend the money not on oil independence, but a reduction in oil consumption.