Nov 072012
While Election Night in 2008 was exhilarating, last night’s big victories for Democrats and progressive causes felt more satisfying and durable. A few thoughts:
- With the President’s reelection, health care reform has cleared its final political hurdle and can be fully implemented. The United States will finally have something resembling a universal health care system. It will be a relief to work on implementation without wondering whether the whole thing will be unraveled by elected officials or the courts.
- Obama’s reelection also keeps alive the possibility that legislation addressing climate change will eventually be enacted, assuming Republicans ever come to their senses.
- Words alone cannot express my gratitude to the Tea Party. If not for their determination to nominate candidates with oddly positive views of rape, the Republicans may have captured the Senate.
- Here in Minnesota, our local Tea Partiers began engineering their political collapse eighteen months ago when they passed two controversial ballot amendments on banning same-sex marriage and imposing voter identification requirements. As extra insurance, they oversaw a lengthy state government shutdown and, just to make sure their hypocrisy didn’t go completely unnoticed, a sex scandal. Voters defeated both amendments and handed total control of state government to Democrats for the first time in two decades. Mission accomplished!
- I’m proud to live in the first state to reject a ban on same-sex marriage. I look forward to a day in the near future when my gay and lesbian friends can enjoy true marriage equality.
Finally, thanks to the good friends who shared the evening’s excitement with me. The company of fellow travelers made the moment that much sweeter.
