There’s plenty of predictions coming out on this eve of the election; all one needs do is click through most of the blogs on my blogroll (available on the front page, should you be reading this as an archived entry). They range from numerical predictions of both the popular and electoral college votes, to the election fallout, to how the political climate may change (or not), even to how some would pick up the pieces and move on. I for one have a few closing thoughts before the election itself starts tomorrow.

I think that this election is not a close one at all. I think that a lot of people have already made up their minds about who they want as president, and they are all willing to go out and vote, regardless of GOTV efforts by both parties. I think that George Bush will win by a comfortable margin, unimpeachable in the states he wins, even in the most scandalous of states like Florida or Ohio (although I have projected that Kerry takes Ohio). I think he’ll win for a couple of reasons:

First, there is great value in maintaining the status quo. This president has withstood nearly four years of verbal abuse from his opponents, overly trumped-up scandalous publications that may have easily swayed the uninformed voter, or even should have already impeached the president in Congress or the Senate. Why hasn’t this happened? Because people believe that they can think for themselves. (They usually can) The American public is smarter than what most pundits on both sides think, and the condescension that the public has faced in the media and from the punditocracy has produced a blowback effect against those who impugn the president’s reputation every step of the way.

Second, this country is more united than pundits think it is. The President has stretched out his hands in both directions, providing for initiatives in historically Democrat activities. The very same steel tarrifs and shrimp tarrifs that Conservatives have complained about would probably be worse under a Democrat presidency. Accusing Bush of being a Republican In Name Only in the eyes of many Conservative, Real Republicans(TM) is just as divisive a move as those liberals who refuse to give one ounce of credit for the social initiatives that they have been outmaneouvred out of.

Third, unless America truly has been emasculated by God knows what factors, we’re a country of fighters. We are tough, we want to elect a tough president, and history has proven this true more than once. Staying the course was something that Reagan didn’t start; he reaffirmed its value.

Fourth, I think liberals know in the deepest of their hearts that The World will still hate America unless we undermine our own interests to further theirs. At least in most cases. Indeed there is value for global cooperation but there is only so much capitulation our country can do before the middle of the bell curve starts to notice.

Fifth, I think that Osama Bin Laden’s appearance is the ringing death knell for the leadership of the Democrat party. When the lead terrorist echoes the talking points of Michael Moore, who was embraced by none other than Terry McAuliffe, Middle America notices. And they notice in a way that doesn’t make them approach closer to the welcoming warmth of a like-minded murderer.

I think that America will elect George Bush with a margin in the fashion reminiscent of Genghis Khan. Plenty will swallow a jagged little pill and hold their noses as they vote, but they know that change will not happen overnight (and if it were forced it would be disastrous), not even with a Kerry presidency. Nor will four years of deconstructioning George Bush’s legacy is in the interest of the American people. We will carry forward. Four more years.