The 2004 elections were the most plutocratic elections in the history of the United States:
<blockquote>A "record $3.9 billion" ("04 Elections Expected to Cost Nearly $4 Billion: Presidential Race to Top $1.2 Billion," October 21, 2004) spent on presidential and congressional races, which made the 2004 elections the costliest in the history of the United States, failed to buy the votes of 79 million Americans. . . .
Only 30.9% of the eligible electorate -- in other words, merely 28.5% of the voting-age population of 217.8 million (US Census Bureau, "Presidential Election: 2004," October 26, 2004) -- voted for George W. Bush. That's hardly a mandate.
. . . [N]on-voters were the largest bloc.
60.5% of the eligible electorate, which was 55.8% of the voting-age population, voted this year; 59.5% of the eligible electorate, which was 54.7% of the voting-age population, did so in 2000 ("Voting and Registration in the Election of 2000," February 2002). In short, it took a whopping 30% rise in campaign costs (October 21, 2004) to achieve practically the same turnout rates as 2000.
<http://montages.blogspot.com/2004/12/30-rise-in-campaign-costs-to-achieve.html></blockquote>
Protesting against the incumbent who received the support of merely 28.5% of the voting-age population, despite an avalanche of money, is not "a 'protest' against democracy."
Besides, organizers of Counter-Inaugural 2005 (who come from various groups of diverse political dispositions) aren't saying that George W. Bush "stole" the 2004 presidential election:
<blockquote>Counter-Inaugural 2005 Bush Isn't Going Away and Neither Are We!
We cannot wait another 4 years to stand against the war and rampant social injustice of another Bush Administration. A coalition of social, political, and religious activists have come together to protest the coronation of George W. Bush. We invite you and all your friends and family to join hundreds of thousands in the streets of Washington, DC.
On November 2nd and 3rd as the votes were being counted residents of Washington DC took to the streets to show opposition to an inherently corrupt system, no matter who won the presidential election. Now the inauguration looms on the horizon and in DC where 91% voters rejected Bush energy is high to organize visible resistance to another 4 years of Bush through linking the national and even global struggle against the Bush regime to our local struggle for democracy here in the District. Come out and help shape this resistance!
Join us for a week of action January 15-Janurary 20, 2005. We're here to help plug you in to all the action.
<http://www.counter-inaugural.org/></blockquote>
<blockquote>On the day of George W. Bush's inauguration for this second term in office - January 20, 2005 - there will be thousands of people all along the inaugural route in Washington DC demanding "End the occupation of Iraq - Bring the troops home now." Bush and the world will hear this message loud and clear from the people of the U.S.
<http://answer.pephost.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ANS_J20_index></blockquote>
<blockquote>"Our goal is to make sure Inauguration Day reflects the great divisions that exist in the United States right now," said Brian Becker, national coordinator for the coalition, known as Answer, which stands for Act Now to Stop War and End Racism. "Bush is trying to assert he has a mandate. We will show that a big part of the American people do not believe he has one."
Other groups are also planning demonstrations. At a news conference on Wednesday, leaders of five groups, including the National Alliance of Black Panthers and D.C. Anarchist Resistance, discussed plans that include anti-Bush rallies, marches, a bicycle ride and at least one act of civil disobedience.
The D.C. Anti-War Network is organizing a "die-in" march that it says will end with 1,000 cardboard coffins, representing people killed in recent American military actions, being taken to Lafayette Park, across from the White House.
Only one group described plans to create a presence during the presidential parade. Turn Your Back on Bush, a grassroots organization, is coordinating an effort to have people find spaces at the street curb and turn their backs to Mr. Bush as his motorcade passes.
"A great many people feel Bush has turned his back on them," said Sarah Kauffman, a field director for the group.
(Michael Janofsky, "Protest Groups, Too, Prepare for the President's Big Day," January 13, 2005, <http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/13/politics/13protests.html>)</blockquote>
Cf. <http://www.infoshop.org/protests/inauguration2005.php>, <http://www.turnyourbackonbush.org/>
It seems that there will be one in Portland as well: <http://www.j20pdx.net/>
snit snat snitilicious at tampabay.rr.com, Sat Jan 15 15:19:07 PST 2005:
>1. To keep up active protests so people have organizations to which
>they turn (and join) when they, too, decide they've had enough.
>
>2. To build a social movement and, more importantly, build a party
>around anti-war organizing.
Out of oppositions to the war must grow fundamental criticisms of the nature of political economy that puts profits and perceived geopolitical gains before people. The AnybodyButBush politics derailed a potential for such development last year, but we'll see if American workers will overcome that tragic detour. The Counter-Inaugural after an election in which Bush won the popular vote fair and square, modest as it may be in size, will be a step in the right direction. -- Yoshie
* Critical Montages: <http://montages.blogspot.com/> * "Proud of Britain": <http://www.proudofbritain.net/ > and <http://www.proud-of-britain.org.uk/>