Reflections on Elections

Thank goodness most of you share my feelings of relief, gratitude, and hope about Obama’s victory, because words could not do my feelings justice. I was on a high Tuesday night, and yesterday's post reflects that continued excitement. But while the presidential race went just the way we needed it to, we can’t call the night’s results a total success.

Some minor disappointments include not reaching a 60-count majority in the senate. I was particularly hopeful for an Al Franken win, and since there is a teeny, tiny margin between the votes for him vs. his rival Norm Coleman, a recount is in the offing. I was also hoping that despite having proven their judgment questionable (see: Governor Palin), Alaskans would give their old and convicted friend Ted Stevens the boot. No such luck, though. He won, but his fellow senators may not be so forgiving: there is talk of expelling him from the Senate.

I also have real frustration about how much money this marathon campaign cost us. I am so glad that people were motivated to give and engage, but just think what $1.5 BILLION dollars could do for us. How many hospitals does that build? How many after school programs does it fund? How many homeless shelters and food banks could be kept afloat? I have no expectation that campaign finance will change significantly any time soon—if anything, Obama’s record-breaking fundraising and rejection of public financing just means we’ll see more of this. And I contributed—and was glad to do so if it meant a President Obama. I’m just sad that the money isn’t going to something more worthy than finger-pointing ads.

The biggest disappointment at all—and disappointment is really too light a word for what I’m feeling—is that Proposition 8 passed in California. Prop 8 bans same-sex marriages, and is a giant step backward for a state that showed real leadership several months ago when its highest court ruled that same sex couples could marry. It was a fairly close race, with approximately 52% of voters supporting the ban. It's cold comfort that it was a tight race, but I’m frustrated and confused at how much people discriminate against gays and lesbians. I don’t understand why anyone gives a shit what we each do in the privacy of our own homes with other consenting adults. There is ambiguity about what this means for the thousands of same-sex couples who already wed.

Obama’s victory on Tuesday night was huge—it will go down in history, and I’m proud we were a part of it. Prop 8 reminds us that there is so much work left to be done, though.