On November 2, 2004, we as Americans made history. Approximately 120 million people – which totals sixty percent of all registered voters – voted for President yesterday. That means that fifteen million more people voted for President this year then in 2000, and yesterday’s election saw the highest voter turnout since 1968. Voter turnout was so overwhelming, that some states, including Ohio, did not close its polls until 3:00am this morning. While these figures are both unprecedented and truly inspiring, there is only one problem…

…we sent the wrong man to the White House.

As a fellow citizen and someone who lives in the same country that you do – I have to ask those of you who are responsible for sending George W. Bush back to the White House for another four years one simple question…why? Why would you give George W. Bush another four years to use this country, his position and our tax dollars for his own personal financial gain? Why did you succumb to his relentless campaign of fear, lies and deception? Why would you subject our country to another four years of the Bush/Cheney money-making machine? Why would you put the future of our children in the hands of people who don’t care about anyone in America that is not a member of, in President Bush’s own words, “the haves, and the have-mores?” And most importantly – why on Earth did you re-elect a “War President” who uses our military as his own private Gestapo, not caring about the 1,124 soldiers that have been killed since he sent our troops to invade Iraq so he can award multi-million dollar no-bid contracts to a company owned by our Vice President?

Our country is truly an amazing one. One of strong values, common beliefs, generations of hard work – and hundreds of years of patriotism. America was founded on the belief of life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Our Founding Fathers signed a document that guaranteed all of us, all those who came before us – and all those who will come after us – a life of freedom, equality and justice. A life where we can speak our minds and pursue our dreams. A life where we can raise our children in a safe and free land – not having to worry about foreign threats and domestic terror. A life where our leaders would govern us with truth, care – and vision. And a life where our nation and its leaders pursued a better life for us all – and a more prosperous America…

…until January 20, 2001 – when George W. Bush was sworn in as our 43rd President.

Since that fateful day, America has become a pawn in the Bush/Bin Laden chess game. Our nation’s children have been murdered in a senseless so-called “war” so the families of both our President and the man that murdered my best friend can capitalize on his death and the death of 3,172 other innocent people. Our safety and our futures have been used as a gambling chip in our President’s goal to “win the ultimate jackpot.” And our tax dollars have been used as a personal ATM machine to pay for George W. Bush’s personal game of Monopoly.

And now – thanks to those of you responsible for re-electing “President” George W. Bush – we have to suffer his tyranny for another four years. We have to spend the next 1,461 days spending our money on a Vietnam-esque “war” that has cost us thousands of lives and billions of dollars. We have to endure forty-eight more months of “The Patriot Act” and the “war on terror.” We have to live in fear of another terrorist attack because the Bush Administration chooses to keep us in a bubble of fear and constant threat. And we have to wait until 2008 until we can elect a new President.

As a member of the JohnKerry.com mailing list, I received an e-mail last week from John Edwards that started with one of the most poignant questions I have ever been asked, “What kind of world do you want to wake up to on November 3rd?”

Not this one.