obligatory election post

[cellio]

I'm disappointed by Bush's win, but I don't think it's the end of the world just yet. I'm more frightened by the strangle-hold that the Republican party now has on the federal government. I don't want any party to control all three branches. With a Republican congress, a Republican white house, and several Supremes likely being appointed during the next term, this is a far cry from the balance of power that was designed into the system. Supremes are for a long, long time, compared to presidents. We need to work hard in the mid-term elections, and we need to make sure our so-called representatives hear from us, frequently and numerously.

I'm not about to flee the country like some people are discussing; that just makes things worse for those left behind. And it lets the Bush camp win. While it's tempting to say to the south and heartland "you made this mess; you deserve the results", I'm not ready to let them destroy my country without opposition. The 51% don't have more rights to be here, and to be heard, than the 49%.

By the way, I've heard people saying that the Democrats didn't do enough to get the vote out. I don't know about elsewhere, but I have been bombarded with phone calls, flyers on my car, and flyers stuck in my front door reminding me to vote, and almost all of them have been identifiably from Democrats or affiliated organizations. A couple were anonymous. No obvious Bushites (though I did get some calls supporting the Republican senate candidate). Just a data point.

Comments

[tangerinpenguin.livejournal.com]

From what I've been able to find so far, the Democrats were very successful at getting the vote out, and unusually successful at getting younger voters out compared to the average election. What wasn't expected was that the Republicans were very successful at GOTV as well, so the percentages didn't change the way folks expected. Plus, some of the demographics (Hispanics are the one I've been seeing most often) didn't break nearly as much toward the Democrats as had been planned.

Meh. People are going to be wonking and second-guessing the details of this election for a while; I've already heard rumors of "Hilary's people accusing Edwards of posturing with his 'continue to fight for you' speech from this morning in a run-up to the next primary," as well as a lot of folks (including an anonymous contributor to an elevator graffiti whiteboard at work) calling for Dean to take over running the DNC.

I'm not as convinced that's the most productive focus to take, but people deal with trauma in their own ways and this does beat the "watching the curtain of a dark national night sweep across America over the course of the evening, as it was driven home that not only weren't we winning, but we'd never win anything again" school of response.

[cellio]

I'm not as convinced that's the most productive focus to take, but people deal with trauma in their own ways

True. I just hope it doesn't become the national obsessive conversation topic for four years like the last one did in some circles. I'd have to invest in Nerf weaponry if that happens. :-)

[mrpeck.livejournal.com]

I have some Nerf weaponry that I'd be glad to give you. :)

[psu-jedi.livejournal.com]

It's like grief. Honestly. I cried all day yesterday. I hated every single person that voted for Bush (including my brothers). I was angry. I was bitter. I questioned the existance of God.

Today I'm more cynical. I'm not crying every time I talk about the election, but I do tear up when I hear the news/see a headline (so I'm avoiding that for a while). I need time to process this, and in my own way I will. Yes, for a few days (hopefully not weeks), I will be a cynical and hateful bitch. I don't want to be. I really don't. But I think for my sake (i.e., stress level), I need to work through this in my own time and own way.

So, I guess what I'm saying is, give it some time. People will come around and realize there are more productive ways to turn this country around. (To quote Obi Wan, "There are alternatives to fighting."

[estherchaya.livejournal.com]

unusually successful at getting younger voters out compared to the average election

Actually, from what I've read, this isn't exactly true. The largest number of 18-26 voters ever turned out in this election. But the PROPORTION of younger voters to other voters remained virtually identical to that of the two previous presidential elections.

[tangerinpenguin.livejournal.com]

I probably could have said that better. That's my understanding too - the absolute numbers were way up, and in that sense the GOTV campaigns were successful, but since the proportion didn't change you have lots of people saying "hmpf, all that talk about the youth vote, and where were they?"