Give 'Em the Finger.!..

Kudos to the Iraqi people. They turned out, by all reports, in high numbers, especially when compared to the pathetic turnout reported in the US. They should be proud of themselves.
I resist my natural cynicism in order to celebrate this historic moment and will wait until more information is given to us about what exactly they have voted for.

I love the purple index finger idea. It would seem that this idea, along with others implemented in Iraq to increase voter turnout and accurately discern who has voted (presumably to avoid voter fraud) could have easily been used in the US last November.

Some of these ideas, if slightly modified, could have served us well last November. The purple finger, for instance, needs only minor modification- move one digit toward the center (isn't the center the way of today's politics after all). We could then all exit the polls and extend an instant message to the pollsters, pundits and media in general while at the same time renew the sense of defiance that an informed vote should express.

Secondly, all parties and political leaders should do whatever they can in their power to make sure that every citizen has easy access to the polls. I have heard no reports of guns or snipers last November but anyone who follows the news is well aware that efforts were made to squelch the voting of particular groups in particular areas of the country. And to be clear, I am not pointing "a finger" at the right or the left in this regard.

Again, let's celebrate with and for the Iraqi people, but let's hope they did better for themselves than we have done of late.