I can't say I am surprised that the election didn't go my way, but 2 hours in the bathroom sobbing is quite enough. It is now time for me to look for bright spots. Here are a few:
1) Regardless of his policies, it is refreshing that America can final elect a black man to be its president. Is racism out the window? No, but this is still a tremendous step forward.
2) DOMA and DADT will finally have a chance of being thrown to the dustbin of history. If so, I will rejoice that. If not, it will just prove that Democrats don't really care about gays; they just want to take our votes.
3) The Republicans got a beating they needed to whip them back to principles. They have spit on the principles of the party in the naked pursuit of power. It's time to find those principles again, AND someone who can communicate them. Being merely "Not Democrat" is not a promising strategy.
4) Hillary Clinton looks to be out of the White House game. In 2012 she would be running against an incumbent from her own party and in 2016 she'll be 69 years old. Sure she'll stay relevent, but it looks like she's lost her chance for the Oval Office.
5) When things go wrong (and they would no matter last night's results), the Democrats won't have a Republican to blame. They'll try of course, but it will sound as hollow as when Republicans try to blame Clinton for problems that arose after 2001.
6) We'll get to see just what the Democrats believe. Now that they have a Supermajority there will be no need to feign moderation anymore. If they truly are moderate, then wonderful. If they are as far left as I worry, I have confidence that the American public will not embrace them for long. This was a rejection of the kind of Republicans we have seen lately, not an acceptance of the kind of Democrats we are about to see.
7) In eight years (maybe even four) the Democrats will likely have squandered their power either from infighting or corruption much the way the GOP did. If so, it may benefit a young moderate (gay) Republican running for his first state office.
There. Oh, I just remembered that I need refill my Xanax prescription.
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3 comments:
Excluding #7, and possibly #1, if these are the bright spots I'd hate to see the dark ones... we can save them for the next SAW movie.
While I live in France, I grew up in California, so I have a soft spot for it. I knew there was a good chance that Prop 8 would be approved, but at about 4:00 this morning, Mac propped up with me in bed, Sullivan blurted out the news that the African American community had supported the amendment by almost 70%. I don't know why. but that shattered me. How could people turn out in droves to celebrate their finally achieving their dream of equality and at the same time strip another minority of theirs? It has completely drained any joy I had at Obama's election.
My boss telephoned me today to tell me how happy he was that Obama had won. Then he jokingly said that now he had to worry that I'd quit and go back to the US. I, not joking, told him that I prefer France. And I do.
No go find that boyfriend of yours and make him take you out... or keep you in.
If only I could take your advice-I have to leave on a business trip this afternoon.
I must say I am very disappointed about Prop 8 as well. Nonetheless, I am in a state that already had such an amendment, so my life hasn't changed considerably.
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