Or, in other words, vote, damn it.

I don't usually bug y'all with politics, so I figure I've earned your indulgence for [counts] four paragraphs.

The spouse points out that the upcoming election will be, among other things, a referendum on the whole idea of a new, all-powerful American empire "pre-emptive war."

"If Bush loses," he says, "then waging an unjust war will suddenly have political cost again."

That means, of course, that it's not just the presidential election that's important, but also Congressional elections and state governorships. Every vote against Bush's party is a vote against Bush's policies.

And the higher the voter turnout, the more convincing the mandate will be.