franceslievens | Some observations on the elections in the USA

Although democrats were from my point of view more prominent on the internet and tried to persuade more voters of the importance of doing their civic duty, the republicans won this election. Being more prominent in the public forum doesn't necessarily mean having a large group of supporters within the population.
In one of the biggest democracies of the world people are actively discouraged to vote. Votes are being challenged in the hope voters will go away without voting. Living in a country where you get a fine when you "forget" to vote, I wonder if there shouldn't be a law against this behaviour.
Also: check out this entry from Weez.
Belgian (European?) press have overtly supported Kerry. This was easily detectable between the lines of their coverage of the elections.
For Americans democracy doesn't necessarily mean the separation of state and church. Heard on vrtnieuws (Flemish public network) from a democrat: "I will not vote for Kerry, because I think he doesn't believe in God."
You are a republican or a democrat and therefore you vote republican or democrat. Families are republican or democrat, like they are catholic or protestant or jewish. Voting doesn't seem to have much to do with your own conviction, but with the conviction you were raised in.
I believe you can place the votes for Bush in a broader tendency of people to attach more importance to tradition, nation and morals than to innovation, solidarity between states and ethics.