Yes, We Did!

11/7/2012

...or rather, he did. Or you all did. At any rate, it's done. And I felt about this election the way I view college applications: Can't wait till it's over!

While I try to steer clear now of political rantings, my leftist/centrist/humanist leanings are obvious. I live in the dark blue Oakland/Berkeley corridor. I know, quite literally, two Republicans.

I am not sorry for their loss as much as I am sorry for the rancor and vile bile that has been spewed for, most recently, these past two years.

Hopefully the man with the mandate can move forward as unobstructed as possible by the Party of No.

Every week I teach people who have been disenfranchised at some point in their lives, if not their entire existence. People who need a little more help than those of us born white and entitled to an education and medical care, all because we can afford to live in the right neighborhoods, or can afford health insurance. Hope can change their lives. A kinder and gentler society can catch them before they fall further. The tone deaf tales of dressage horses was never going to get their vote. I'm sorry.

I've never doubted President Obama. Vilifying him for what he didn't do or how he failed on his promises was never my bag. Personally, I couldn't get through half of one of his days without needing a nap or a cathartic cry.

Let's just let him get on with it. And a good place to start is with the Obama Diary. Namaste my smart friends. And thank you, Mr. President, for all you do.

V-A

11/7/2012 01:56:42 am

Texting through the returns last night with my children as they assured me their President would triumph. Texting with my gay friend who won't have to move to Canada because of her partner's immigration woes. Texting with my sister in red Louisiana who had stood in her parish polling place the only white person in a sea of black. Phoning my 82yr old mother who held an Obama victory party in her 85% Romney TX county. and waking to find that my red city may have its first Democratic mayor in 40 years.

There are two clear messages here. Billionaires can't buy our elections. Republicans must stop pandering to the extremists.

(Thanks Laura for the Obama Diary link. Just what I needed this morning.)

Laura Novak

11/7/2012 03:56:02 am

Great story, V-A. That's right: they cannot buy elections. At least not this one. The message should have been noted at their rallies long before last night. I am referring to the sea of white faces in Boston, and the rainbow coalition in Chicago. Could it have gotten any whiter at Romney's party? Again I ask: what were they thinking?

V-A

11/7/2012 06:18:36 am

Sorry but I must amend my relief. Today I listened to non-partisan conservative think tank smart man Norm Ornstein discuss how the Koch Brothers among others are storming the country by funding local, state elections. One by one. That's their strategy. To obstruct. I had planned to celebrate one day without political worry, but Ornstein's sensible discourse got me. He says that these local elections have never had lots of money and were grassroots events. No longer.

Barbara Alfaro link

11/7/2012 04:14:46 am

Beautifully said Laura. Since the goal of the Party of No to make sure President Obama would not have a second term failed, perhaps now they will make the good of the country their goal.

Laura Novak

11/7/2012 05:52:06 am

I should think so, Barbara. Or I'd like to think so. My husband has his doubts. I'd like to think that some hindsight will steer them to what matters. Thanks for stopping by, Barbara!! Always a pleasure to have you here.

Duncan Campbell

11/7/2012 06:09:18 am

Laura, like your husband, I have my doubts. As much as I was dismayed by the George Bush re-election, I never felt the level of hatred that I see and hear from so many who are opposed to Obama. My personal opinion is that much of it is just pure racism.

Laura Novak

11/7/2012 08:04:04 am

I agree with you, Duncan. It is the level of the hatred - so beyond even the most ardent disgust many of us felt for 43 - that lends itself to your theory. It's terribly sad. But Obama has prevailed. I'm glad for him. And thankful that he wants this job.

Suzanne

11/7/2012 08:15:19 am

Yay! Barack. Yay! America!

CA Guy

11/7/2012 04:34:32 pm

Did you get a chance to see PBS and their camera pans of the crowds who stood waiting for each parties' candidate to deliver their speeches? One crowd was so monochromatic, so utterly white; hopeless and rigid in their distress. The other was a so integrated, so homogeneous; a delightful and delighted mix of colors, types, shapes and sizes.

The sad problem is that the right-wing fringe is being driven deeper underground, more and more bitter and more and more dangerous. It feels like we have collectively dodged a bullet, as much by luck as by dogged determination to see that the country not be given back to those who drove us to our knees.

The ground machine of the Democratic party overcame enormous odds and a stunning funding disadvantage. It is warming to know that we can out-think them.

Romney will be a sad footnote in history: the last man standing in a clown car of marginalized candidates, propped up by money, lies, slander and rich old white men.

FrostyAk

11/7/2012 08:15:28 pm

I was truly worried that the deceitful GOP would claim this election through election fraud. I lived in the 1950's before civil rights, before women were 'emancipated', and have no desire to return to that.

Not all old white people were in bed with the GOP. My 92 y/o mother was DISGUSTED by what they were trying to do.

I live in a BLOOD red state (for now), and the corrupt GOP lone congressman was re-elected for his 21 term. He spent over 1 million dollars to dissuade the justice department from prosecuting him for corruption and fraud. The legislature added more republicans, so "Palin in pants" Parnell will get his way and GIVE the oil companies over 2 billion dollars in tax relief with NOTHING promised in return. To put it mildly, my disgust runneth over.

Let's hope that the GOP run House will prove unable to block the legislation we need for the USA to move forward. Let's hope Obama can move this country forward.

mistah charley, ph.d. link

11/7/2012 10:51:08 pm

I felt relief at Romney's defeat.

I recommend Tom Junod's essay "He the People: Obama's Transformation of America."

http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/obama-speech-election-night-2012-14528957

Laura Novak

11/8/2012 02:09:45 am

I could not have said it better, CA Guy. You articulate it so well. And Frosty, I hate to say it but when the election was called, and I could still see AK in grey, I thought about all the rancor that the last election set in motion. It still prevails. But hopefully, it's the last dying embers of that all factionalized insanity. May the Big Orange Bohner step up to the plate and be a man about the next four years. I'm going to read MC's suggested article now.

Laura Novak

11/8/2012 02:17:12 am

Thanks for the link, MC. It is an excellent think piece. And my take-away is that the human lurking inside the politician prevails. That in addition to the political machinations that must take place, BHO, the man, was able to perceive how he got here, what had shifted, and how he had to move forward. And that is emblematic in the faces and body language in the crowd behind him, as CA Guy points out. The comments below the guest post give us some food for thought as well. Perhaps worth a future post. Thanks again MC for always broadening our minds.

sunny link

11/10/2012 08:48:08 am

Beautiful thoughts, Laura.

I, too, am delighted that our president gets a second term. I hope the congressmembers and senators sent to DC by the voters will decide to concentrate on what is best for the nation now, because that's what is desperately needed.

The rural county where I live is politically a vivid red. Yet the "old boy network" failed as one bright, strong and caring woman defeated a supervisor who has held his seat for 28 years. I'm still celebrating that lovely change.

Thanks again for your lovely blog post. And now we get a new beginning. Here's to the U.S.A.

Laura Novak

11/12/2012 05:09:51 am

Thanks, Sunny. And what wonderful news about the old boy network in your area letting in a woman who might change a few things. Hurray for the voters!!

webuyanycar link

11/19/2012 12:48:46 pm

That's their strategy. To obstruct. I had planned to celebrate one day without political worry, but Ornstein's sensible discourse got me. He says that these local elections have never had lots of money and were grassroots events. No longer.

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