Election Reflection
I'm realizing that the person I've supported for president has never won. In 1992, though I was too young to vote, I supported Bush over Clinton. In 1996, still too young to vote, I supported Dole over Clinton. Then in my first voting election, I voted for Nader in 2000. Quite a shift from Dole, I know, but that's what college will do for you. This year, I voted for Kerry in both the primary and the general elections. As I have moved left, the nation has moved right. I guess I should be used to being in the minority by now.
Things that make me happy about this election:
1. The election seems to have been fair. No hanging chads, no obvious fraud.
2. The expected electoral outcome is confirmed by the popular vote. In this case, the president has quite a handy lead in the popular.
3. Huge numbers of people voted! This is a great thing.
4. There is a greater chance that we could have a racial, ethnic, or gender minority president (or vice president) in four years (democrat or republican). Since a majority of Americans are minorities [you've got to love the way language works], it seems like it's about time to have a minority on the ticket. I was quite disappointed to have all white-guys in the race this time around.
Things that concern me:
1. Karl Rove style politics might become the model for success. In addition, it looks like huge spending is going to increasingly be a part of American politics, since it is the trend for both parties.
2. Record numbers of young voters turned out and most of them voted for Kerry. Will this encourage the idea that young voters can't make a difference?
3. The president might have a free pass for two years. I think that we have a better government when it needs to compromise, but that may not be necessary for this president.
4. The Bush Doctrine might become strengthened. My view is that anytime a nation goes to war (especially without the UN), the burden of proof is on them to justify it. In this case, I don't think that burden was met. That's one thing, and other presidents (including democrats) have done that before, but in this case, the decision has been elevated to the level of a doctrine, a model for future decision-making. This is concerning. I don't like being a go-it-alone country.
5. The idea that Christians must be and are conservative evangelicals has been strengthened. Those of us who are liberal Christians are in for a hard road and a certain degree of marginalization.
Things that make me happy about this election:
1. The election seems to have been fair. No hanging chads, no obvious fraud.
2. The expected electoral outcome is confirmed by the popular vote. In this case, the president has quite a handy lead in the popular.
3. Huge numbers of people voted! This is a great thing.
4. There is a greater chance that we could have a racial, ethnic, or gender minority president (or vice president) in four years (democrat or republican). Since a majority of Americans are minorities [you've got to love the way language works], it seems like it's about time to have a minority on the ticket. I was quite disappointed to have all white-guys in the race this time around.
Things that concern me:
1. Karl Rove style politics might become the model for success. In addition, it looks like huge spending is going to increasingly be a part of American politics, since it is the trend for both parties.
2. Record numbers of young voters turned out and most of them voted for Kerry. Will this encourage the idea that young voters can't make a difference?
3. The president might have a free pass for two years. I think that we have a better government when it needs to compromise, but that may not be necessary for this president.
4. The Bush Doctrine might become strengthened. My view is that anytime a nation goes to war (especially without the UN), the burden of proof is on them to justify it. In this case, I don't think that burden was met. That's one thing, and other presidents (including democrats) have done that before, but in this case, the decision has been elevated to the level of a doctrine, a model for future decision-making. This is concerning. I don't like being a go-it-alone country.
5. The idea that Christians must be and are conservative evangelicals has been strengthened. Those of us who are liberal Christians are in for a hard road and a certain degree of marginalization.
posted by david at 11:00 AM
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