Stardate 60854.28 - Election Results

"The core of America is not racist. It is not hostile to women. It is increasingly offended by gay bashing. Yet it abhors government waste. It believes strongly in fiscal responsibility such as balanced budgets. It is pro-economic growth. It is concerned about the environment. It is intolerant of people on welfare who disdain the notion of work. But it wants poor kids to have school lunches and it wants to spend money to have good schools. In sum, most Americans are sensible, good-hearted, and prudent. The issue, then, is whether there is a political party that can welcome them home."
—Senator Paul Tsongas

I'm a pretty happy guy today. Although I'm registered as an Independent, I do tend to lean Democratic (at least until we get a real Moderate Party with actual candidates established nation-wide). And I think the current administration is arrogant, unaccountable, stubborn, and without the ability to admit mistakes. I think the Iraq war was poorly conceived and poorly executed, and the administration lied to (or at a minimum extremely misled) the public to push it through. Perhaps with the Democrats in control of at least the House (and maybe the Senate?) there will finally be some accountability.

What the Democrats need to do now, however, is to be a force for positive change and not just be the anti-Bush party (although I think the Democrats had such huge gains because the public - rightly or wrongly - lumped all Republicans together with Bush and expressed their frustrations by voting against them as a unit). It will be a short-lived victory, however, unless the Democrats can get some things accomplished over the next 2 years.

Last night I heard someone in the administration talk about non-partisan unity. I think the last time we heard that language from the administration was during the Presidential elections 6 years ago. Anyone remember "I'm a uniter, not a divider"? Well that turned out to be wholly inaccurate. Perhaps now the administration will be a little more inclined to listen to the other side.

Bush had a tremendous opportunity with world opinion on our side to do some good, and Afghanistan was an excellent first step. But Iraq was not a good second step, and he squandered all that political capitol, while North Korea went on to build their nuke.

"To be locked into partisan politics doesn't permit you to think clearly."
—Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani

I've voted for Republicans, Democrats, Independents, and Greens in the past. But yesterday there were no "X"s beside any Republicans on my ballot. Yes, I lumped the lot of them in with Bush, and while that was probably narrow-minded of me, it was my way of sending a message to all of them - if you continue to play partisan politics, blindly support Bush, and side with the religious right you will never have my support - or any other moderate.

I'm tired of the world thinking we are all a bunch of arrogant asses. I'm tired of this poorly executed war in Iraq. I am tired of the Republicans believing they are the party of God and all liberals are heathens. I'm tired of the Republicans saying they are the only party that can protect this country. I'm tired of the Republicans thinking they are the patriots and Democrats want to destroy this county.

"Neither party should be defined by pandering to the outer reaches of American politics and the agents of intolerance, whether they be Louis Farrakhan or Al Sharpton on the left, or Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell on the right."
—Senator John McCain

I'm not sure if this election can truly change the state of the world, but it certainly should be a wake-up call to the Republicans to get their act together.

And I'm disappointed in both parties for the extremely negative campaigns. For example, George Allen in Virginia slamming his opponent Jim Webb for the fictional novels he has written? Without actually having read any of them? Both parties were guilty across the country.

I'll leave you with one final quotes (although I'm sure the hard-core Republicans have stopped reading by now and are posting flaming comments), and then I'll get off my soapbox.

"I never submitted the whole system of my opinions to the creed of any party of men whatever in religion, in philosophy, in politics, or in anything else where I was capable of thinking for myself. Such addiction is the last degradation of a free and moral agent. If I could not go to heaven but with a party, I would not go there at all."
—Thomas Jefferson


NYC