What A Beautiful Morning!

7:12 Sun Rising

Sunny Election Day Afternoon

Downing Tree's at Foster's cottage on Victoria

Half light, about 6:30, a cloud bank off to the east, hanging over Bemus but a blue sky above that.  It's chilly outside, 23 degrees,  and I am still ecstatic about last night's election, the return of Obama as President. More about that later, as I think about what it means to me.

Yesterday was, at last, a mostly sunny day though quite chilly.  Both Evie and I were nervous all day because of the elections, mostly what this could mean for the country if Romney were elected.  And I know most of Republicans worried the same way if Obama were elected.  We did manage to get some things done, as Evie went off to the Mall to exchange some things, shop for Xmas presents, hit Weggies for Lays chips and dip.  Yum.  I took a walk early, through the Woodlawn/Victoria woods, stopped to watch Maple Springs Tree Service take down numerous trees at Fosters on Victoria (they were there much of the day) and I ended up talking with Foster senior, in his 80'sl, who mentioned his grandfather had planted the tree they were taking down one hundred years ago.  An interesting guy.

Later, I picked up my new sticker from North Harmony for the Transfer Station (they are having problems with foreigners dropping off their trash), mailed some letters, dropped off some books at the Smith Library and then walked around the CI for about forty five minutes, a lovely time of day, before coming home and working some outside, getting the garage ready for the winter, putting more and more stuff up in the garage attic.

We had tacos for dinner, a unanimous choice for Election Night, and then we sat on pins and needles, pardon the cliche until about 11:15 when Fox New announced, against the advice of  know it all Karl Rove, that Ohio would go to Obama, giving him the election.  I have to admit to a guilty pleasure, that it was delicious watching Fox News last night as they began making excuses as they sensed the election was slipping away.  In fact, that was the first hint that Obama was winning, the doldrums at Fox News.  Nate Silver is my God, as he called the election, using data from all the polls, giving Obama a 90% chance of winning.  He was, of course, made fun of by Fox News!  It seems clear that the Republican party, the party of white people, is going to have to change if they ever want to win an election and become more inclusive.  Minorities decided the elections this time and will continue to do so in the future.  That's the reality.  This is the last gasp of the 20th century politics, the one where white males dominated the politics throughout the 20th century.  Unfortunately, this is 21st century America, whether you like it or not, with whites becoming the minority in the near future. The Democrats have realized this, in fact, have always embraced the 'underclass', whatever their color and the Republicans will have to figure out how to do that too.  It means changing their attitudes towards many things, like gay marriage, immigration, welfare, Medicaid, Social Security and Medicare.  If they had been strong supporters of any of these, they would have won.  But there was doubt about their support for all five of them, whether it was true or not. Paul Ryan is the only winner, the most likely Republican Presidential candidate in 2016.  Unless he modifies his hard right views, the Republicans will lose again.  It will be interesting to see his changing views over the next four years.

I love thinking about all the big donors like Sheldon Adelson who gave millions and millions to the various Republican candidates, only to see them defeated.  It gives me faith in the American voter to think that they were able to rise above these mostly negative ads. And as I mentioned, how wonderful that people would stand in line for five or six hours just to vote.  Wow.

I am not encouraged by what the Republicans have said since the defeat of Obama.  But then they are talking to their base. I have felt all along that the Republicans had one goal...to be obstructionists and do everything they could to make sure Obama would not have a second term.  No doubt Obama had something to do with this impasse.  Things will have to be different  now or else.  Both parties will have to compromise some of their ideals; if they don't we will be tossed off the fiscal cliff.  Let's hope Congress and the President wake up, put the country first, politics second.