"Bittersweet" sums it up
So, it looks like we got it. House, Senate, majority of the governors, lots of state legislatures, all that jazz. Howard Dean was proven correct with the 50 State Strategy. Yay. I'm still depressed.
There's so much about the past four years that can't be undone, you know? We invaded another country on false pretenses. We tortured people. We alienated the world. We neglected the environment. We sent the economy shooting up to a horrifying precipice. We introduced exceptions to the Constitution, expanded executive power to frightening levels, and neglected checks and balances. We institutionalized bullying of the majority party in Congress over the minority. We claimed the right to spy on the American public for their own good. We pushed for discrimination and dallied with revoking the separation of church and state. We squandered resources and lives. We made money such a part of the electoral process that money now equals free speech, and if you don't have the money for your message, your message won't get heard. We can try to fix these things, try to make up for them, but they can't be undone. Maybe, deep down, part of me was convinced that we could, if the Democrats took Congress, and it's only now that this has happened that I'm really understanding that there's no magic reset button, and that's finally triggering my mourning. The fighting is over and we are in charge of the ruins. It's horrifying.
I can't say "we didn't do that, the Republicans did" because fuck this party-line crap, we're all one people, and what is done in our name is our fault. As Democrats, we didn't wake up in time, didn't organize in time, didn't work our asses off in time, didn't do enough, didn't scream loudly enough, and our weakness four years ago is going to haunt us for years to come. As Americans, we stayed ignorant and stayed passive.
The lesson of the Nixon years seems to have been that you can't trust the executive branch, but the other lesson that seems to have gone along with that is that when the executive goes awry, Congress will fix it, even if they're the same party as the President. The lesson of the Bush years is that if the Congress is the same party as the President, then oversight is just another word for sitting back comfortably and letting the President have his way.
So, sure, I'm pleased that the barn door is closed, but all those horses are long gone. And sure, I'll keep working, and I'll celebrate the boost in young voters and the growth of citizen involvement in the political process, but I can't help mourning our losses as a nation.
Side notes:
1) John Kerry, please, for the love of all things holy, go the fuck away. Shut up and sit down. As Ira Glass said, we took a vote in the most literal way possible and no one likes you.
2) Democratic Congress, I've got my eye on you. Any news of bullying the minority Republicans and I'm going to be very pissed. You'd damn well better have learned SOMETHING from being bullied. And if any of you ever end up threatening to get rid of the filibuster, your ass is mine. 2004 was not a mandate and neither is this. PLAY NICE.
3) George W. Bush: you are still the worst president ever. Watch those signing statements, bucko; we're onto you.
4) South Dakota: good on you for getting rid of the abortion ban. Now please get universal access to birth control and universal, comprehensive sex ed going, and you won't have to worry about people HAVING abortions, which I don't think either one of us wants.
5) Virginia: Yes, we understand that you hate the gays, but what exactly was the point of that new protection of marriage thing? Didn't the old one work well enough? Are your conservative judges just waiting for the chance to throw off their robes and dance around naked, at which time they will also mandate man-dates? And you do realize that you've penalized straight, unmarried couples as well, right? Okay, as long as we're clear: that was dumb.
6) Democratic Congress again: yes, plans are good, but for fuck's sake get to the root of our problems pronto: a) money in politics and b) voting problems. Unless we make sure that voters are the ones in charge and that politicians don't have to spend so damn much time raising money, this system is still broken, and I don't care WHO is in charge, it's still fucked.
Also: so help me, you'd better spend more time in Congress doing your damn jobs than the last Congress did. If you keep having four-day weekends I am going to get you all fired for neglecting your work.
7) Iraq: I know we fucked y'all up, and I know I've been predicting for years that y'all are headed for civil war and new totalitarian government, but do you not get that I DON'T WANT TO BE RIGHT? Please stop with the killing each other. Embrace non-violence. (I know. I just wish.)
8) Democrats in general: a Congress is only as good as the people holding it accountable. Do not under any circumstances imagine that just because they've got our party name stamped on their asses that they're going to need less oversight. Money and voting problems: get that to the top of their list and keep it there. This is not our dream Congress; our dream Congress would be ones who were free of fundraising, who have been voted in without irregularities and with clear paper trails, and who listen to voters, not lobbyists. Eyes on the prize, folks: party name means nothing, accountability to the voters and the voters alone means EVERYTHING.
There's so much about the past four years that can't be undone, you know? We invaded another country on false pretenses. We tortured people. We alienated the world. We neglected the environment. We sent the economy shooting up to a horrifying precipice. We introduced exceptions to the Constitution, expanded executive power to frightening levels, and neglected checks and balances. We institutionalized bullying of the majority party in Congress over the minority. We claimed the right to spy on the American public for their own good. We pushed for discrimination and dallied with revoking the separation of church and state. We squandered resources and lives. We made money such a part of the electoral process that money now equals free speech, and if you don't have the money for your message, your message won't get heard. We can try to fix these things, try to make up for them, but they can't be undone. Maybe, deep down, part of me was convinced that we could, if the Democrats took Congress, and it's only now that this has happened that I'm really understanding that there's no magic reset button, and that's finally triggering my mourning. The fighting is over and we are in charge of the ruins. It's horrifying.
I can't say "we didn't do that, the Republicans did" because fuck this party-line crap, we're all one people, and what is done in our name is our fault. As Democrats, we didn't wake up in time, didn't organize in time, didn't work our asses off in time, didn't do enough, didn't scream loudly enough, and our weakness four years ago is going to haunt us for years to come. As Americans, we stayed ignorant and stayed passive.
The lesson of the Nixon years seems to have been that you can't trust the executive branch, but the other lesson that seems to have gone along with that is that when the executive goes awry, Congress will fix it, even if they're the same party as the President. The lesson of the Bush years is that if the Congress is the same party as the President, then oversight is just another word for sitting back comfortably and letting the President have his way.
So, sure, I'm pleased that the barn door is closed, but all those horses are long gone. And sure, I'll keep working, and I'll celebrate the boost in young voters and the growth of citizen involvement in the political process, but I can't help mourning our losses as a nation.
Side notes:
1) John Kerry, please, for the love of all things holy, go the fuck away. Shut up and sit down. As Ira Glass said, we took a vote in the most literal way possible and no one likes you.
2) Democratic Congress, I've got my eye on you. Any news of bullying the minority Republicans and I'm going to be very pissed. You'd damn well better have learned SOMETHING from being bullied. And if any of you ever end up threatening to get rid of the filibuster, your ass is mine. 2004 was not a mandate and neither is this. PLAY NICE.
3) George W. Bush: you are still the worst president ever. Watch those signing statements, bucko; we're onto you.
4) South Dakota: good on you for getting rid of the abortion ban. Now please get universal access to birth control and universal, comprehensive sex ed going, and you won't have to worry about people HAVING abortions, which I don't think either one of us wants.
5) Virginia: Yes, we understand that you hate the gays, but what exactly was the point of that new protection of marriage thing? Didn't the old one work well enough? Are your conservative judges just waiting for the chance to throw off their robes and dance around naked, at which time they will also mandate man-dates? And you do realize that you've penalized straight, unmarried couples as well, right? Okay, as long as we're clear: that was dumb.
6) Democratic Congress again: yes, plans are good, but for fuck's sake get to the root of our problems pronto: a) money in politics and b) voting problems. Unless we make sure that voters are the ones in charge and that politicians don't have to spend so damn much time raising money, this system is still broken, and I don't care WHO is in charge, it's still fucked.
Also: so help me, you'd better spend more time in Congress doing your damn jobs than the last Congress did. If you keep having four-day weekends I am going to get you all fired for neglecting your work.
7) Iraq: I know we fucked y'all up, and I know I've been predicting for years that y'all are headed for civil war and new totalitarian government, but do you not get that I DON'T WANT TO BE RIGHT? Please stop with the killing each other. Embrace non-violence. (I know. I just wish.)
8) Democrats in general: a Congress is only as good as the people holding it accountable. Do not under any circumstances imagine that just because they've got our party name stamped on their asses that they're going to need less oversight. Money and voting problems: get that to the top of their list and keep it there. This is not our dream Congress; our dream Congress would be ones who were free of fundraising, who have been voted in without irregularities and with clear paper trails, and who listen to voters, not lobbyists. Eyes on the prize, folks: party name means nothing, accountability to the voters and the voters alone means EVERYTHING.