Life

 

There is some poetry about the ending of this so very long election.  For the first time in I don't know how long, we know on the day of the election.  At the end of this road, unlike the previous two presidential elections, we have certainty at the end of the day the votes are cast.  There isn't the promise of court challenges of the results as reported.  There isn't the risk that the vote will be questioned till the Electoral College meets, till the Congress accepts the results.

I'm already starting to wonder what statements will come out of the conservative world over the next several days.  Which message will they distill as to why they failed with what seemed at times to be a confused message.  

In one way, it is poetic that it is raining.  I look forward to seeing if we can wash away the partisan politics, the politics that have acted as such a wedge in this country, and start getting back to where we can work together.

I am a little afraid of a Democratic House, Senate and President.  See the first six of the last eight years.  One party in complete power, that scares.  I don't care which side it is.  One party owning the whole thing, isn't that the kind of situation that normally causes problems?  I'm more afraid of what the Dems will do to themselves over what the Republicans will do in response to the election.

And how do we keep all the people who are newly awakened to the American political process involved, engaged and acting on the issues.  I don't mind that there are issues out there than Americans will disagree about, serious issues where agreement will not come easy, if at all.  I do care if the inability to agree causes legislative logjam and failure of democratic processes.  

And yet, this year, this election, I do feel that both parties made their best arguments about what they feel is important.

And now we start moving forward.  Certain that the voice of the people, and I hope it proves to be the largest voting block we have ever seen,  But not the largest we will ever see.

Yesterday I worried that the American system was coming to the breaking point, the start of the road to the end.  

Today, I'm looking forward.  I don't yet see the end; I see the hope of a new beginning. 

It seems congratulations are in order for Barack Obama

Now you have to wonder, what happens. 

One of the things that I think we have all now have to be worried about is how much the plans of Obama will have to change after that very first President-eyes only briefing that talk about all the things that the rest of us just don't know.  What things has the Bush Administration been hiding that will change things incredibly.

I haven't said anything here about my own feelings for this election, how I was planning to vote.  I think it is enough to say that I am happy with this outcome.  I am curious President Obama will change the way the Republican party works.  I wonder how the neoconservative movement will alter their tactics now that "The Real America" has clearly shown itself as not created in the narrow vision of America that they projected.

Tomorrow, we get to wake up, and move forward with dealing with the problems that have weighed so very heavily on  this country over the last several years.  All this change, and not one drop of blood.

God bless the Constitution.

And God bless these United States. 

We are home after a short vacation. There was no network connection, even via my mobile, where we were staying. I was only able to post a picture or two and sent tweets when there was an available cellular signal. I did not bring a laptop everywhere we went--too much walking--so that was the best I could do. Today is the last day off. I am hoping to have time to transcribe some of the notes I made in my paper journal.