At the end of the day, no amount of marching, chanting, sign-holding or paper-maché puppet-making can change the fact that Bush was re-elected. After a reasonable mourning period, it’s time to look to the future. To Hillary/Osama 2008? No, not that far. Let’s look ahead to the next four years. Here is a list of some things the Emerald wants from Bush this time around:
* Cabinet replacements. Senior aides are reporting that Attorney General John Ashcroft will “retire” before Bush’s inauguration. Thank God! Former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani has already said he is not interested in the job. Our pick: Former Oregon Attorney General and current University President Dave Frohnmayer.
* More tax cuts. But not for the rich this time, or even for the middle class. We want tax cuts for those between the ages of 18-25 who make minimum wage and consume a disproportionate amount of beer. Come on, Rove — it will appeal to the youth vote.
* Huge federal budget cuts. The Republicans are learning just how hard it is to control themselves when they are the ones in control of the federal money pit. Do they have the self-control to restore the image they once had as the party of fiscal sanity? We hope so.
* More Cabinet replacements. Bush fires Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Deputy Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, showing he is serious about cleansing his administration of the neocon element. We would also like him to cleanse the ex-con element from the White House and Congress, but we know he only has four years.
* Leave Oregon alone. With Ashcroft gone, we hope that the Republicans go back to being the state’s-rights party. We don’t want feds harassing our medicial-marijuana patients and our right-to-die patients. Leave us alone, Big Brother bastards!

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