1. I am very happy that our country was able to elect a black president. I have mixed feelings about the news coverage though. I understand that it is a wonderful thing that one of the last racial barriers was broken and now we just have to work on the gender barriers (which I feel will be closely behind). I was a little disappointed by the coverage though. I literally kept switching channels because every single channel had the one black anchor that they would go to and all they talked about was the fact that Obama was black and this was such a victory for them. It was a racial barrier victory, no doubt, but it was also a victory for change. Not one of them mentioned the fact that 60% of white people also voted for him, along with a huge percentage of the Latino population or the fact that he is half white. It was like they completely ignored the fact that some of us voted for him because we believe that a change in this country is needed and we agree with his policies. That angered me a little bit and almost spoiled it for me. I don't like that it was made into black people vs everyone else issue. It is a victory for them on the racial front but I believe that it is a victory on the political front for all of us.
2. I think that McCain gave a very classy speech. I actually really like McCain except that he went a little far right for me in this election. I think that before he was forced to the right he was a really good senator and I think that he has some wonderful ideas (I even agree with some of his more than Obama but you have to make a choice on election day). Sometimes I wish that it was back to the old days when the runner-up was VP...I think that Obama and McCain would be exactly what we could use. So, having said that, I really hope that McCain keeps his word and continues to help. I am not dilusional and I don't think that one party can do this all on their own. We need both parties to fix the mess our coutry is in and I feel like McCain is a very good person to help fill that role. I am sorry, but I am glad that Palin is going back to Alaska. She is not the woman that I want to represent the first woman elected to the White House.
3. Again, I am not dilusional and I don't think that things are going to happen overnight. I know that Obama has a long road ahead of him and he has a lot of support yet to win. No President would be able to step up and fix this right away. I hope that he lives up to my expectations of change and no more "business as usual". I really want something different and one of the main reasons that I got involved so much in this election is that I have been disappointed in the last 8 years (the only years that I have been able to vote in a Presential election). I will be very disappointed if he just goes back to the same old, same old that we have had in the last 8 years. I hope and trust that he will pick good people to take with him to the White House.
4. I am comforted by the fact that he won by so much and the fact that most of the wealthiest states (the ones who will end up paying for his tax increases and such) voted for him. It gives me hope that there are more people that agree with me and don't mind paying for programs that they think will help people or improve our country. Looks like they aren't ready to pack up and move quite yet.
5. I learned a lot about myself in this election. I learned that I am more compassionate and generous than I ever thought I would be. I know you can argue that the higher tax rate will not affect me but it might one day and I really do feel at peace with that. I learned that even the reasons people gave me for why we shouldn't have some of the social programs that I agree with didn't outweigh my genuine feeling of wanting to help people and believe in people. I learned a lot about my friends. I was glad that some people shared their views because I am of the mindset that you should learn how people who don't agree with you think. You should learn where they get their information and how they interpret information. I learned that I agreed with them on some things that I didn't know I did and strongly disagreed on others, not because their facts were wrong, but just because my opinion was different. That is an important difference to me. I also realized that I don't think like very many of my friends but I like that we are still friends and that we don't let politics get in the way because it really never should.
Ok, I know you are all sick of politics so I will end it here...I just felt I had to post something since I was the one who started the whole political discussion....pictures from election day later (not political though, just funny). All any of us can do now is wait and see.
3 comments:
Still waiting on those jean shorts too! :)
Oh, let me email Morgan!
Good post. I'm glad we're friends...I think you are a good person. Not implying that republicans or independents aren't good people too, but just wanted to comment that I think you are kind and compassionate.
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