The People's Mandate
So.
That's it. The election is over. And the American people have spoken. They wanted four more years, and that's what they got.
I really thought that Kerry would win. Honestly. I thought that the American people were fed up with what was going on with Iraq and the economy and our foreign relations. But no, they voted on wedge issues. Abortion. Gay Marriage. Gun Control. Those are the things that mattered to the average, blue-collar American worker. They didn't think about the economic stance that the Republicans have towards the middle-class. They didn't think about healthcare polices endorsed by the GOP. They didn't think about the fact that the current administration has isolated us as a country, and how badly we needed someone to mend our alliances.
No. They feel that imposing their values on the American public is more important. They didn't vote on the issues that really impact all of us.
I have respect for people that support the GOP because of issues like the economy and healthcare and all that. Most of those types that I talk to really know what they're talking about, and though we differ in opinion, at least they know what to base their political affiliation on. But I cannot respect a voter that votes on religious beliefs. On close-mindedness. Because they feel that they need to spread their values on people who don't believe in them. Who don't know that this country was founded on the belief that there needs to be a separation of church and state.
Just in case you're interested, NPR reported that 83% of people voting on moral issues like abortion and gay marriage voted for Bush.
Probably my big issue in this election (Not that I don't care about the economy and the war. They're just not as much fun to talk about.) was the choosing of probably two Supreme Court Justices, one of them more than likely replacing a liberal (Stevens, more than likely. He's 84 already, and extremely liberal.) Then there's Rehnquist, who will probably step down before he dies (I hear it doesn't look good for him) and Scalia will become Chief Justice.
That's so unsettling. Scalia as Chief Justice. A 5-3 conservative majority (It'll be Thomas, Kennedy, Scalia, New Person and New Person against Souter, Ginsberg, and Bryer. O'Conner is just a swing voter who can't decide which side she belong on. Even if she suddenly became a liberal, there would still be a conservative majority.)
But back to the actual election.
I was counting on people our age to get out there and really make some waves. I really thought that this would be the election for the young people; that this election was important enough for younger voters to want to get out there and do something.
Not the case. Younger people generally sway towards the Democratic side, and they weren't out in the polls to make their voices heard. I feel bad for saying this, since I didn't vote (not by choice...damn being seventeen!) but I went out there and volunteered for the campaign, and I think young people should care enough to at least vote.
But I was let down once again.
There is a weakness in the Democratic party, but I'm not sure what it is. We've lost four seats in the Senate. Our minority leader was voted out. Martinez replaced Bob Graham. There is something seriously wrong in the Democratic party, and we need to fix it before the 2008 election, which, if we lose, we might as well face the facts: the religios right has really taken over. Throughout history, we've seen periods of dominance for one party over another, and I feel that this may be a period of the Republican President.
Speaking of which, my eye is on the 2008 election. Had this election been for an empty presidency and not a challenger against the incumbent, I'm positive the election would have gone to the Democrats. I don't have any ideas as to who will run for the Democratic ticket, but I have a feeling the Bush dynasty will try to keep themselves going through Jeb. I would love to see Edwards take another stab at it as the frontrunner, and if Barack Obama wasn't so young, I would say that he should go for it. But he'll have to hold off for a few years; let's face it, the world is not ready for a black president. Not yet.
But soon.
Put on your seatbelts, and get ready for another four years.
That's it. The election is over. And the American people have spoken. They wanted four more years, and that's what they got.
I really thought that Kerry would win. Honestly. I thought that the American people were fed up with what was going on with Iraq and the economy and our foreign relations. But no, they voted on wedge issues. Abortion. Gay Marriage. Gun Control. Those are the things that mattered to the average, blue-collar American worker. They didn't think about the economic stance that the Republicans have towards the middle-class. They didn't think about healthcare polices endorsed by the GOP. They didn't think about the fact that the current administration has isolated us as a country, and how badly we needed someone to mend our alliances.
No. They feel that imposing their values on the American public is more important. They didn't vote on the issues that really impact all of us.
I have respect for people that support the GOP because of issues like the economy and healthcare and all that. Most of those types that I talk to really know what they're talking about, and though we differ in opinion, at least they know what to base their political affiliation on. But I cannot respect a voter that votes on religious beliefs. On close-mindedness. Because they feel that they need to spread their values on people who don't believe in them. Who don't know that this country was founded on the belief that there needs to be a separation of church and state.
Just in case you're interested, NPR reported that 83% of people voting on moral issues like abortion and gay marriage voted for Bush.
Probably my big issue in this election (Not that I don't care about the economy and the war. They're just not as much fun to talk about.) was the choosing of probably two Supreme Court Justices, one of them more than likely replacing a liberal (Stevens, more than likely. He's 84 already, and extremely liberal.) Then there's Rehnquist, who will probably step down before he dies (I hear it doesn't look good for him) and Scalia will become Chief Justice.
That's so unsettling. Scalia as Chief Justice. A 5-3 conservative majority (It'll be Thomas, Kennedy, Scalia, New Person and New Person against Souter, Ginsberg, and Bryer. O'Conner is just a swing voter who can't decide which side she belong on. Even if she suddenly became a liberal, there would still be a conservative majority.)
But back to the actual election.
I was counting on people our age to get out there and really make some waves. I really thought that this would be the election for the young people; that this election was important enough for younger voters to want to get out there and do something.
Not the case. Younger people generally sway towards the Democratic side, and they weren't out in the polls to make their voices heard. I feel bad for saying this, since I didn't vote (not by choice...damn being seventeen!) but I went out there and volunteered for the campaign, and I think young people should care enough to at least vote.
But I was let down once again.
There is a weakness in the Democratic party, but I'm not sure what it is. We've lost four seats in the Senate. Our minority leader was voted out. Martinez replaced Bob Graham. There is something seriously wrong in the Democratic party, and we need to fix it before the 2008 election, which, if we lose, we might as well face the facts: the religios right has really taken over. Throughout history, we've seen periods of dominance for one party over another, and I feel that this may be a period of the Republican President.
Speaking of which, my eye is on the 2008 election. Had this election been for an empty presidency and not a challenger against the incumbent, I'm positive the election would have gone to the Democrats. I don't have any ideas as to who will run for the Democratic ticket, but I have a feeling the Bush dynasty will try to keep themselves going through Jeb. I would love to see Edwards take another stab at it as the frontrunner, and if Barack Obama wasn't so young, I would say that he should go for it. But he'll have to hold off for a few years; let's face it, the world is not ready for a black president. Not yet.
But soon.
Put on your seatbelts, and get ready for another four years.