Odds and ends from the people that want to stick a fork in their head to stop the pain of George Bush’s America:

* Come for the maple butter, stay for the political asylum — Apparently, some of the disgruntled are considering moving to Canada — famous for geese, bacon and William Shatner. As this article notes, Canada isn’t going to do anything particular to speed their entry, but considers itself underpopulated and might benefit from the influx of new people. Though I’m not happy about it, a mass egress from the urban centers to the Land of Bears and Beers would mean two things: (1) I might finally be able to find a parking space in front of Crate and Barrel, and (2) a couple totally hysterical “Green Acres”-style reality shows. (On a side note: need someone to watch your cat, Ms. Sarandon? Can I get those bags for you, Barbra?)

* Confound those Red State homophobes! — This article from David Brooks provides all the help you’ll ever need in combatting the myth that Bush won because religious people turned out in higher numbers to vote down gay marriage. It was really a pretty stupid idea, when you think about it. There were only 11 states that had those measures, and Bush’s margin of victory in those states wasn’t markedly higher than in the others. The idiocy of thinking that a concern for “moral values” in exit polls must have meant a concern about gay marriage just shows that the left is a little out of touch.

* Scariest quote of the Day After — Matt Foreman, director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, after noting that activists remain “on the offense” after the election setbacks, added:

What this really demonstrates above anything else is that basic rights should never be put up for a popular vote. That’s why we have a Bill of Rights.

Well, since marriage is a cultural institution and not a “basic right,” there’s absolutely nothing in the Bill of Rights that would apply here. But I doubt if that’s the point for Mr. Foreman. What is the point is that what fails with the public can be forced on people through the courts and that, obviously, is the next step.