ELection. That's with an "L" Not an "R"

It's been around a week since Historic Day.

I refer to the Election Day here in the US. 

Yes, this post is POLITICAL in nature.  Those who are my Facebook friends, or know me in RL, or read this Blog... let's face it, if you know anything about me, you know I'm a political junkie.  Furthermore, I'm a Liberal.  "I wasn't born Republican, Democrat, or yesterday" as the button says.  And I'm a Liberal who does research, knows how to debate and spot logic flaws.

In other words, a Dittohead and Fox "News" viewer's worst nightmare.

Remember, as Colbert said, "Reality has a liberal bias."

Red, White and Blue Sophie!

In any case, there was an election here.  You may have heard that.  Unless you've been on Mars.  And if so, how's Marvin?

President Barack Obama vs. Former Governor Mitt Romney.  Notice I didn't use the president's middle name in an effort to paint him as "Unamerican" or "foreign" as many right wingers do.  Can't have a Black man in the White House, can we?

Before going into my thoughts and analysis, bear with me as I do a little history, and even speculative history. 

In the year 2000, the Supreme Court awarded the presidency to George W. Bush over Al Gore.  I'm not going to play out that whole argument here, as I'm not going to change your mind on this, and you're not going to change mine.  That said, I remember feeling a PROFOUND sense of loss.  I remember dreading what Bush and his cronies would do to our great country. 

And I hated that I was not only right, but they exceeded my worst fears.

That said, imagine if Gore were president instead.  It's conceivable to believe that his administration would've taken the security briefings from Clinton seriously, and wouldn't have ignored the "Bin Laden determined to attack US" briefing.  So conceivably, the 9/11 attacks may have been foiled.  A national tragedy averted.  3000+ Americans still alive. 

No Bush means no wars in Afghanistan and especially not in Iraq.  That's one million people not killed in an illegal war.  It then follows that we would still have a budget surplus, as we didn't blow it on two unfunded wars. 

And that money?  Spent on schools, infrastructure and green energy sources... Imagine.

All that possibility thrown away.

All because of the GOP and their supreme court.

So.  Now the Republicans are in mourning.  They say our country "committed suicide."  Many republicans are downright vicious that Obama was re-elected and by a LOT.

How hard core crazy are they acting?  People have been SO filled with hatred that they want to secede from the US.  Yes, after twenty plus years of the GOP noise machine and GOP politicians telling them that any rule by a democrat is "illegitimate," after all the racist code words, it's reached this point.

Why?  BBC says the only reason cited was searches by the TSA... which were instituted by the Bush administration (link above).  Oh wait- can't mention them because even the mention of that junta's amazing incompetence sends republicans into apoplexy.  "Take responsibility yourself!" they scream.  Yes, scream.  But why should POTUS take responsibility for the cataclysmic failures of his predecessor?  Especially when the GOP did their best to block any attempt at fixing the problems?

And what does the house organ (Fox News) of the GOP have to say of this on their website?  Nothing.  Not a single mention (search conducted 11/12/12 at 8:15-8:30pm)

Strange.

I mean really.  You'd think they'd be carrying the banner for it.  Rabble rousing for it, like they did the Koch brothers' Tea party.  Maybe Karl Rove's on-air meltdown sobered them a little?  Doubtful.

Then there's the topic of gloating.  Lots of articles on that.  Here's one, and another.

So why would the Left gloat.  Oh I don't know.  Maybe because the GOP makes it an art form?  Almost as good at it as they are about whining about being victimized by the "liberal media."  I remember right wingers shoving their fingers in my face and shouting how liberals like me all "oughtta be chucked in Gitmo" or "lined up and shot" after the 2004 election was stolen.  (Don't get me started- I read the Conyers report- did you?)

And after all that bullying, am I not entitled to a little satisfaction, especially knowing that the country WASN'T bought by the Koch brothers?  I know I should be the bigger person.  But in this case I NEED this closure.  I need for them to know how I felt.

Speaking of Karl Rove, what now?  I mean, when you spend $600 million and get nothing for it?  That's a LOT of unhappy big donors:  People who expected juice with the administration they bought and paid for. Now they get nothing but the tax write off, which doesn't matter as they don't pay taxes anyway.  I mean, Rove bought and paid for Ohio, and probably knew where the fraud was supposed to hit, hence the objections.  I hope he saved his receipts.  ;)

What happens when you piss off big money GOP in this country? 

Well, call me a conspiracy theorist... call me crazy... Will Rove meet with an "accident?"  "Heart attack?"

Actions have consequences.

Never happen?  Remember William Casey?  No?  CIA director under Reagan?  Stole Carter's debate notes so Reagan had an advantage in their only debate.  Suddenly needed brain surgery and died, and then had ALL of Iran/Contra blamed on him.  Convenient, wouldn't you say?

How about Michael Connell?  Never heard of him?  He was Rove's go-to IT guy who testified that he fixed the voting machines in Ohio in 2004.  Yes, really.  Died very soon after in a plane crash.  Rove had threatened him.  Funny that.

So here it is a week out.  Some republicans are still grousing and crying unfair.  Alan West still hasn't conceded his race, even though it isn't even close.  He's already sued.  But the news cycle has moved on to something new... infidelity in the CIA!  Oooo!  Sex and power!

Some republicans think that the reason they got whipped was that the candidates weren't conservative enough.  Others  recognize that the party has gone far to the extreme right.  It'll be interesting to see how this plays out.  That said, the GOP propaganda machine heavily favors the extreme.  Let's face it- Hate sells.  And make no mistake, Hate is what they're dealing in.

So here we are.  There ARE reasonable, moderate Republicans out there.  they're the ones who don't watch Fox.  They don't vote republican.  Their party left them behind.

Maybe they'll reclaim it.  Maybe Boehner will recognize that he's working for the US, not the GOP and start negotiating in good faith.  Maybe plaid pigs will fly in standard formation over the next Eagles game.

What the GOP as a party need to remember is something most on the left never forgot- that we're all Americans.  We on the left aren't (in general) Socialists, Communists, and every other thing we're accussed of being.  We love our country, and we don't want to see it sold to the highest bidder.  We don't want the least of us to be left behind to rot so the ultra-rich can make ever more money.  Job creators?  After ten years of tax cuts, where are the jobs?

So what now?  That's really up to the GOP.  They can do the work of the people, or they can keep careening to extremeism and become a memory.  Most people are moderate.  THAT is why the GOP lost, despite sprending $600 million.  Moderates don't want extremeists of either side in charge.


Now we face at least two years of where we are now.  I hope that we can continue moving forward.  It will take more than four more years or even ten more years to repair the damage the Bush junta inflicted on the economy.  President Obama has already begun repairing our international reputation.  Not with an "apology tour" as the Propaganda machine would have you believe, but by pursuing sane policies.

By the way, this analysis doesn't even take into account what the Obama presidency means to TG people.  Under the GOP, we would have been marginalized far more.  Reforms may have been thrown out in the name of Hate.  Under Obama, we have a chance of moving more toward having human rights.  Perhaps I'll address that bit later.

So there you have it.  My thoughts on this major historical event.  One thing that both sides agree upon- this WAS an important election.  And America won, not the plutocracy.