It's Morning in America!

[JamesSavik]

The Democrats have gained a majority in the House and possibly the Senate!

CNN: Democrats Take Control of House

Yahoo: The Senate is Within the Democrats Grasp

[rick]

Evidently there is, indeed, a limit to people's patience. The Democrats have a solid majority in the House, and are currently leading in the last two Senate races, in Virginia and Montana, with nearly all the precincts reporting. We may not have 'official' wins in either state for days or weeks, as you can bet the GOP will demand recounts in both states (in fact Virginia law requires it when the margin is this close).

Think about it, in Virginia, with around 2.4 million votes cast, Jim Webb is winning by only 7,000 votes. In Montana, with some 400,000 votes cast, Jon Tester is holding onto a razor thin margin of 1,500 votes. I point this out just to underscore that your vote CAN make a difference!

I just want to say "Thank You" To everyone who went out and made their voice heard. Democracy does, indeed, work after all.

Now if they will just live up to their pledge to turn this country in a new direction, and exercise some control and restraint over an out of control presidency.

Well Done America!!!

[DesDownunder]

This little Australian would like to thank the American voters for this moment of sanity in making your democratic choice.

Thank You!

[JamesSavik]

This election is nothing short of a political earthquake. We'll be feeling the aftershocks for weeks, months and years ahead.

As I'm typing Bush is holding a press conference announcing that the Donald Rumsfeld, the embattled SecDef, is stepping down.

[colinian]

This election is nothing short of a political earthquake. We'll be feeling the aftershocks for weeks, months and years ahead.

As I'm typing Bush is holding a press conference announcing that the Donald Rumsfeld, the embattled SecDef, is stepping down.

Former CIA Chief Robert M. Gates will be nominated for the position of Defense Secretary by Bush. The story is here.

Of course, not everything was positive yesterday. Anti-gay marriage ammendments, some of which also eliminated state domestic partner laws, were passed in a number of states; only Arizona defeated the anty-gay marriage referendum on their ballot. More details are here.

Colin

[Trab]

Note to President Bush,

You could reverse the direction of this election, by declaring the Democrat winners as "unlawful enemy combatants" and rounding them all up. Apply repeatedly until done.

[jack scribe]

This election is nothing short of a political earthquake. We'll be feeling the aftershocks for weeks, months and years ahead.

I respectfully disagree, James. The American voters are/were thoroughly pissed at our unsuccessful

involvement in the no-win Iraq war. Running a distant - but important - second was the utter disgust with corruption. The Democrats capture of the House and Senate reflected this dissatisfaction. If voters had voted down the ban on gay marriage in all the states that had the proposition, I would agree that it was a political earthquake with appropriate aftershocks.

This was a needed course correction. Even the survivors are dead meat. Big Denny - out. Reynolds - out. The interesting aspect of this shift in power from GOP to Democrat is that several of the new faces are very main stream, middle-of-the-road, in their values. Add to the fray is Lieberman's power as an independent with vote tie-breaking influence. These factors, plus a willingness for Bush to lead (with a stick of dynamite up his rear) in a more by-partisan fashion,may produce more positive results.

Unfortunately there are still elected slimeballs from both parties lurking in the hallways of Congress. A real political earthquate would be the day when it is illegal for ex-members of Congress to be a registered lobbyist a minimum of five years after they leave office. Or, for lobbyists to have ANY financial impact on members of Congress or government.

I thought the crowning hypocrisy over the weekend - in addition to Rev Ted - were the Neo-con assholes complaining that they were being blamed for the Iraq fiasco. Perle, Adelman and Wolfowitz...eat your hearts out. You f**ked up...big time.

[rick]

Note to President Bush,

You could reverse the direction of this election, by declaring the Democrat winners as "unlawful enemy combatants" and rounding them all up. Apply repeatedly until done.

Don't whisper that one too loud, Trab, he doesn't need any ideas along those lines.

Seriously, all that's really happened is that we've replaced the experienced crooks with a new bunch that the Washington lobbbists will begin to corrupt within days. With a bit of luck though, this bunch might act as a check on the over-reaching of that fool in the white house. All we can reasonably hope is that they'll keep their corruption within reasonable bounds until after they are sworn into office!

It would be fair to say I don't have high expectations.

And that's pretty sad, really.

Rick

[Trab]

You know, there is one interesting thought I just had (my one and only): They (the big unknown they) should multiply the wages of politicians by the percentage of voter turnout. As people become more disenchanted with politicians, they get paid less. As people get more enchanted and vote, they get paid more. There's probably some inherent flaw in this, but I'm too tired to think of it right now, not to mention that I've already had my one and only interesting thought.

[Tanuki Racoon]

This little Australian would like to thank the American voters for this moment of sanity in making your democratic choice.

"I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it any more." -- Howard Beal

[DesDownunder]

"I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it any more." -- Howard Beal

"Network" -starring Peter Finch as Howard Beale. A great movie that should inspire us all.

Peter was given a posthumous Academy Award for his performance.

He also was given a British Academy Award in 1960 for his very sympathetic and wonderful performance of of Oscar Wilde in the film, "The Man With The Green Carnation" aka "The Trials of Oscar Wilde".

Although adopted by Australians as one of their own, and appeared in many Australian films Peter Finch was in fact born in the United Kingdom.

WBMS, I have only just crawled out of bed and I don't know how to interpret your quote from Network in relation to my message.

Hope I haven't upset you.

I am having a dense moment.

[Tanuki Racoon]

WBMS, I have only just crawled out of bed and I don't know how to interpret your quote from Network in relation to my message.

Hope I haven't upset you.

Heavens no.

I was referring to the mental state of the American voter at the polls this election.

[DesDownunder]

Aha! I get it !

Duh. I should wake up before I start reading

Thanks WBMS, it was really a great comment.

[JamesSavik]

I was wondering if anyone caught the irony in the title of this thread.

"Morning in America" is the common name of an effective political campaign television commercial formally titled "Prouder, Stronger, Better" and featuring the opening line "It's morning again in America." The ad was part of the 1984 U.S. presidential campaign of Republican Party candidate Ronald Reagan.

-Wikipedia Entry

I have heard it said that no revolution is complete until you shoot the revolutionaries.

[DesDownunder]

Jamessavik wrote:

I was wondering if anyone caught the irony in the title of this thread.

I appreciate the irony James, but I didn't know about it.

I took the meaning of the title as,

"Sunlight has dawned this morning on America, after it having been in the dark of dreaded night for so long."

The implication being one of hope with the dawn of a new day as a result of the election.

Still perhaps I am reading things into it.

Back in the early 1970s our left Left wing party in Australia was elected on the Slogan "It's Time".

Some years later the Right wing used the slogan "Time's Up" to gain office.

Some politicians seem to think the people are revolting all the time.

Some of the people think the politicians are revolting.

The media seems to be out to prove them both right.

I have heard it said that no revolution is complete until you shoot the revolutionaries.

I'm should think that the anarchists would agree with that.

[The Pecman]

Note that the election wasn't 100% positive. There were still a number of anti-equal-rights bills passed in several states, including several against gay marriage. But there were also a few anti-gay marriage bills that were defeated.

Also, several major democrats that were elected characterize themselves as "conservative democrats," whatever that is. They aren't necessarily for equal rights for gay people, nor are they pro free speech, pro stem-cell research, and a number of other liberal "hot button" topics.

It was a victory overall, in terms of the U.S. people making their opinions about the Iraq war known, but the war ain't over with yet. (And that counts both the actual Iraqi war, as well as the war for gay rights.)