election 2012 is history. President Obama has been reelected. in my state, my choice of candidate for state senator lost her election, and it appears she is retiring from public life. that's a tough loss for our state. 30 years serving the public in one capacity or another, and she's calling it quits. it was an ugly, expensive campaign. this was an ugly expensive year, all around. no one came out unscathed.
but there are some signs of progress and hope. new hampshire will be led by all women. we have the first openly LGBT senator elected, as well as the first disabled senator elected. marriage equality became a HUGE issue, with two states pushing it to the forefront of their ballots, and voting YES! and two states voted to decriminalize person use possession of marijuana. i think that says a lot about how far this country has come. we're more open and accepting, and willing to stand up for each other.
don't get me wrong, we're still terribly divided. now the healing begins. we need to stop the bipartisan games and come together as one nation. the last four years now seem to be such a waste. when mitch mcconnell goes on the record as saying the republican party's main goal is to see that our president is a one term president, and they are unsuccessful in that......have they destroyed their party? they've seriously damaged their credibility, in my opinion. but that's behind us. i'm hoping it's FAR behind us.
Mr. Romney's concession speech was gracious, kind and sincere. he spoke from the heart. i hope he can be a motivating influence in the republican party, as THAT person we saw tonight. speak from the heart, be sincere, screw what the spin doctors and demographic gurus say. speak from the heart. THAT'S how we're going to heal this nation. by crossing party lines and forgetting what side of the aisle we're supposed to be on. JUST DO THE RIGHT THING. don't kill a jobs bill that you sponsored because the President mentioned it in his nomination speech. that's just spiteful, hateful and hurtful. and we don't need that petty shit to continue.
i'm grateful that i live in a nation that affords me the right to speak my mind. to call my elected leaders on their behaviors. to hold them accountable for their actions. and to make my voice heard at the ballot box. now, if we could just do something about that electoral college business. i think that the public IS informed enough now that we can be trusted to elect our president, without delegates speaking for us. but that's another post, entirely.
i'm grateful that people got out and voted. especially those on the east coast, and in florida. the people that stood in line for HOURS to cast their ballots. they were determined to vote. and they did. and i'm grateful to the first time voters in this country. you got to take part in this process for the first time. be proud of that. it doesn't really matter which candidate you supported, you got out there and cast your vote. you weren't apathetic and let someone else make that decision for you. YOU DID IT! and that's a wonderful thing.
i'm grateful for all the volunteers that worked both sides of the campaign. four years ago i worked for (then) senator Obama. it was one of the most rewarding experiences i've ever had. i couldn't do so this time, because i had surgery right in the middle of the heaviest campaigning push. but i was always kind and talked to canvassers, callers, no matter which side they were calling from. i appreciate the work they did. it's hard, arduous work. long hours, exhausting work. but it needs to get done. and it does. so to all those volunteers, THANK YOU.
and i'm grateful that we have a democratic process that, while it may not be perfect (that pesky electoral college thing again) it does work. sometimes we're swayed the wrong way. sometimes we elect someone that was so charismatic during the campaign, but just loses steam once they take office. but sometimes we get it right. i hope we got it right tonight. i'm tired, but i'm going to sleep with a slight smile of satisfaction on my face. we've come a long way. who would have thought? decriminalizing pot, gay marriage and a two term mixed race president? an openly gay senator? women leading a state from the governor to the US representatives, to the US senators, all women. a record number of women will be serving in congress this next term. 19, possibly 20 (one race is still too close to call.) but we have a long way to go on that one, too. but we're working on it. maybe america is turning a corner. maybe we're starting to realize that we're really not that different, after all. maybe we just decided to start looking out for our neighbor, or someone we don't know, instead of just our own interests. isn't that a great thought? now THAT would be something to really be grateful for. i'm going to go out on a limb. i think that's what's going on here in this country. we're starting to care about each other. and i'm really, truly grateful for that.
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