I'm well aware that probably 90% of the musical artists I listen to are captured by the music industry problem of far-left "Michael Moore"-style liberal groupthink. As such, it shouldn't surprise me when a member of my favorite band posts something like this. While I think Mr. Page is an incredibly talented musician and no doubt a sincere individual, when it comes to politics he clearly screams out as someone that needs to be taken down a peg. That's where I come in. ;-)

Okay, we’re down to the wire. It’s so hard not to get sick of this whole election thing. Even I - and I live and breathe this stuff - am so ready for the electioneering to end, and for life to move on.

This is likely where my agreement with Steve begins and ends.

Everyone keeps telling you that this election is important. Everyone keeps saying the world is watching.

OK, maybe the agreement extends to here. I don't think there's anyone on the planet who doesn't think this election is extremely important. It's just the direction of the importance (as we will see momentarily).

Well, it’s true, we are watching, and your decision to vote on Tuesday will affect us all. Please, on Tuesday, no matter what state you live in, go and vote for John Kerry. Even if the lines are long. Even if the ballot is confusing. Even if you believe that your votes doesn’t count. Please vote for John Kerry.

Whoops...you had me up until here Steve. Why would we cast that vote if we believe this election is important?

Voting against your incumbent President is not treasonous. It doesn’t make you un-American. It is an exercise of the rights and freedoms that have, for centuries, made the United States the object of the world’s admiration. Voting for change is the most powerful use of your much-celebrated democracy. It is your greatest tool, and I urge you to use it. How shocking to see a country so divided along party lines, to see accusations of anti-Americanism leveled at many of your most dedicated patriots.

Please name names Steve. I'd love to see his list of "dedicated patriots" that are unfarily accused of being anti-American. What Steve (and many of his far left counterparts) fail to grasp is that there is a clear, bright line between opposing a given policy, and actually being anti-American. For example, it is not anti-American to believe the War on Terror is wrong - it's a debate that has been happening since 9/11, and will continue. Such debate is good. However, there comes a point when such opposition becomes so rabid that it really IS anti-American. For example, when Osama Bin Laden is practically quoting your movie verbatim, you can certainly be considered anti-American. When one is actively cheering for our soldiers to take losses, then that's anti-American. When one is aiding and abetting the actions of the terrorists, either through what they say or what they do (particularly with their money), that that's likely anti-American. Unless, of course, you want to make the case that Osama is really PRO-America.

We here on the sidelines don’t hate you for your freedom. We love your freedom and want to see it restored to its former glory. Sometimes this election looks like a descent into lesser-evilism; it seems that even people who dislike Bush feel that Kerry’s not the best man for the job. I know that Kerry’s increased economic protectionism will hurt Canada’s economy in the short term, but I also know that my country has prostrated itself at the altar of NAFTA, which hurts everyone involved as well – especially when this “Free Trade” agreement will never be truly free when signatory countries (guess who?) pick and choose which products and services are actually subject to NAFTA, and which ones are exempt. We can’t look at trade as the best indicator of the health of a nation.

I think this is my favorite part of Mr. Page's "letter," and it accurately sums up exactly why Kerry should not be elected. If this is the best endorsement that someone can muster for Kerry...why should we bother? And I'm not going to touch his clear (and I'm being charitable here) mishandling for basic economic concepts. That's another discussion for another time. For now, suffice to say that I love the laundry list spelled out by someone that is apparently endorsing Mr. Kerry.

I also know that my skin crawls every time I hear Kerry say that he will hunt down and kill these terrorists. And this from a man who actually knows what it is to kill another human (as opposed to GWB who let a state employee pull the switch for him). Kill! Kill! Kill! That’ll get votes!

(as an aside...I have some very good friends in Canada, so to be clear, what follows is directed at the self-righteousness exuded by Mr. Page than anything else). I'm so happy that people that think this way are in the extreme "Kucinich minority," (for those unaware, Mr. Page was a hardcore supporter of Dennis the Menace's failed presidential campaign). I'm also very happy that the US exists like it does, and that Canada has not faced a 9/11, so that Steve can continue living in his naive little world - a world in which there really aren't evil people, there just misunderstood individuals that need someone to talk to. I'm proud to have a leader that seems to understand the reality of the situation - radical militant Islam is a threat to the entire civilized world, not something that should
be embraced and codified into law (another side note - where are the screaming church-state separatists now? And don't pretend Canada doesn't have them...they were around aplenty during the gay "marriage" debate up there).

But more importantly, this reflects what I said previously - this is the best endorsement Steve could come up with? If this stuff matters to you so much Mr. Page, why not endorse someone much closer to your position, like Ralph Nader or something? As usual, we see the flawed far-left mindset in this election - vote Kerry, because he's not Bush. Mr. Page is clearly willing to comprimise the beliefs that he claims to cling to in order to see the current president removed. So the question becomes simple - why should we listen to the endorsement of someone who chooses to forgo what they truely feel is right just for the sake of political expediency?

Okay, so he’s not perfect. Unfortunately, perfect isn’t running in this election. But in every instance, economic, social, foreign policy, judicial, Kerry stands out as the only choice.

Excuse me while I complete my laughing fit for a moment...





OK, let's go through Steve's list. This is going to be a blast!!

economic - By this point, only someone that clearly doesn't understand economic issues would still be clinging to the idea that raising taxes is beneficial to the economy. Some might think Reagan got lucky in the 80s, but Bush's tax cuts are precisely what the country needed at the time. And thank goodness they were in place before 9/11. We'd probably still be in the depths of a depression if movement hadn't been made on the economic front prior to the attacks.

social - explain the "superior" position of someone who claims to believe that certain practices are murder, but will do ABSOLUTLEY NOTHING to stop it. That's not superiority, that's moral bankruptcy. Bush has the high ground on EVERY SINGLE ONE of the major social policy issues of the day. Abortion, stem cell research, gay "marriage", the list goes on and on and on. Kerry has zero standing on the social level.

foreign policy - please go back and read Mr. Page's previous paragraph, and tell me you can read this with a straight face. Does he really believe that Kerry has a superior foreign policy, or is this just another politically expedient compromise of beliefs? Better yet, I think I know what Steve is talking about (because he hints at it farther down). I think he loves the idea of Kerry's "global test." Steve wants the rest of the world to tell the US what it can and cannot do. In supporting Kerry's foreign policy, Steve is betraying his real thoughts - giving organizations such as the UN control of US actions. Why can't he just come out and say it.

judicial - Let's see...keeping to what the Constitution says, or making up new "rights" in the Constitution? Strict-constructionist, or abortion litmus test? Yeah, there's another category that Bush trumps Kerry.

So, in case everyone is keeping track, out of the 4 categories specified by Mr. Page, thats 4-0 in favor of Bush.

I love the United States, and over the last twelve or so years of touring your country, I have learned so much more about it and its people than I had ever imagined. I hope that you all make the right choice for yourselves and your country, as it will also affect the rest of the world. You are the most isolated you have ever been in your 228 years, and a tax cut just won’t justify alienating yourselves further from the rest of the world.

Apparently, along with missing basic economic concepts, there's a basic misunderstanding of American history on Mr. Page's part as well. How are we the most isolated in our history, when for the first, oh, 100 years or so, we had no alliances and the tradition (as promoted by George Washington) was to avoid any sort of foreign entanglements? Not only that, but there are plenty of countries out there right now that openly support us, and are actively helping us. How does that make us "the most isolated" we've ever been? Again, Mr. Page apparently defines the US being isolated as France's opinion.

As for his "tax cut" crack, I don't know many Americans that are voting for a tax cut. Most American's are voting for Bush for one of two reasons - 1) he is likely to keep us far safer than Kerry every would and 2) Kerry's complete bankruptcy on all moral issues. The tax cut is an added bonus that just helps continue to drive our economy upward.

You, as the “last remaining superpower” are a true world leader, but with fewer and fewer partners. We encourage your return to our community. On Tuesday, vote for John Kerry.

Thank you for you thoughts Steve. Now, you just go on ahead and keep promoting the NDP to help drive your country into the ground. We Americans will be perfectly content with another 4 years of strong leadership on the issues that really matter.