by Doug Millison for SiliconValleyWatcher.com

It's been a tough week for Silicon Valley and the greater San Francisco Bay Area. Most of us voted for Kerry (over 80 percent in the city of San Francisco) and it's difficult watching Bush smirk and sneer as he enjoys his moment in the sun. There was much weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth on Wednesday. High tech executives remain unsure what opportunities may unfold, or slam shut, in the second Bush term, while California as a whole braces for payback after having voted for Bush's opponent, and for embracing lifestyles that infuriate Bush's right-wing, fundamentalist Christian supporters. But even as reality sinks in, Silicon Valley finds some reasons for hope.

Michael Moore - after sending out an email called "My First Thoughts About the Election" which simply listed the names of the American dead in the Iraq war - now offers "17 Reasons Not to Slit Your Wrists." Numbers 14 and 15 are especially good:

14. Bush is now a lame duck president. He will have no greater moment than the one he's having this week. It's all downhill for him from here on out -- and, more significantly, he's just not going to want to do all the hard work that will be expected of him. It'll be like everyone's last month in 12th grade -- you've already made it, so it's party time! Perhaps he'll treat the next four years like a permanent Friday, spending even more time at the ranch or in Kennebunkport. And why shouldn't he? He's already proved his point, avenged his father and kicked our ass.

15. Should Bush decide to show up to work and take this country down a very dark road, it is also just as likely that either of the following two scenarios will happen: a) Now that he doesn't ever need to pander to the Christian conservatives again to get elected, someone may whisper in his ear that he should spend these last four years building "a legacy" so that history will render a kinder verdict on him and thus he will not push for too aggressive a right-wing agenda; or b) He will become so cocky and arrogant -- and thus, reckless -- that he will commit a blunder of such major proportions that even his own party will have to remove him from office.

The many groups that fought so hard against Bush during the election campaign seem to be gearing up to oppose his most egregious legislative and executive efforts - and watch for anti-war protests to start up again, too.

Links:

17 Reasons Not to Slit Your Wrists by Michael Moore; scroll down for "My first thoughts after the election..."

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