4 more years....

Well, President Obama won.   This doesn't come as a surprise to me, I was going to be shocked if Romney won. (More on that in a few paragraphs)

Mr. President, while I'm not thrilled with your first term, you have been given a second chance.  A chance to finish what you started, to start the things you talked about, and generally work as best you can to help right the course for America.

You have a big job in front of you and I don't know if you can actually do it.  You're too beholden to the monied interests.  I'll be interested who you replace on your cabinet.  You don't seem to be dynamic enough in your leadership.

BUT, you don't have to worry about reelection now.  You have a slightly more accommodating Congress, one who might actually be willing to work with you now.  But you still must put forward some actual ideas, and ways to implement them.

I wish you luck in your second term, hopefully it will be the start of a new era for America.

Now, to those of you surprised by Romney's loss...why?  What made you believe he was going to win?

Was it his staunch beliefs?  Wait, I have no idea what he believes in because it changes, every single election.

Was it his proven governing power?  Oh, wait, he's had to disavow his biggest accomplishment as governor because it smacked of socialism to the far right.

Was it his likeable personality?  Not really, he's random rich old white dude.  You could insert about 50 other guys in his stead and they'd all be the same.

Maybe his proven record as a leader of a company?  Well, sort of.  His company made lots of money, but lots of that was made by buying and gutting companies and outsourcing jobs.  I understand that happens, and sometimes it should, but its not gonna win you votes.

Was it his appeal to others besides whites?  I can't even come up with something snarky to respond here.  Its just hilarious.

America, while still run by whites (look at congress), is slowly starting to show in their vote that "Hey, there are people of other cultures here, other backgrounds besides WASP or white catholic."  The Republican leadership, the Republican "base," and Republican news outlets like Fox News are scared to admit that and delude themselves into thinking that the changing face of America isn't happening or that it can be reversed.  No, it can't!

I've already read 3 or 4 blogs and articles just today from tea party people saying the reason Romney lost was that he wasn't far right enough!!!  Wait a second, you honestly believe that a Rick Santorum, or Mike Huckabee, would have fared better?  If so, good luck to you in 4 years because you're going to be sorely disappointed yet again.

Hopefully, the Republicans will embrace the changing face of America and revise their platform to be more inclusive and in doing so actually put candidates up for consideration that bring something to the table besides isolationism, xenophobia, and broken jokes of economic plans.

"Corporations are people"

Ah, Mitt. So, apparently you really want the Republican choices to come down to an extremist from Minnesota and yet another ex-Texas governor.

Mitt, you're correct, Corporations ARE technically people thanks to the 14th Amendment. However, they have none of the responsibilities of a person.

So, you might be right, but many of us Americans are upset that what you say is true, especially in light of how so many corporations act completely selfishly and irresponsibly on a scale that few individuals could dream of doing.

Mitt, I hope you realize you completely suck at public speaking. However, sadly, you're the only sane option among current Republican candidates. Yes, that is pathetic.

Please, wake up and realize that no matter what your personal views might be, much of America is pretty upset with corporate fat cats who have done everything to get gov't bailouts, raise gas prices, lay off thousands, and continue to move jobs overseas all while reaping record profits.

If you really want those who might vote Republican to have to choose between Bachmann and Perry, well, keep up with gems like this. But please, for the sake of us Americans who might actually be open to voting for the GOP get your head out of your rear and start listening to what the majority of Americans want. A leader who can bring about prosperity again.

Protecting corporations and other rich entities while the average American is suffering is a good way to lose out to the real crazies in your party who not only want to protect them, but reward them.

This is an average joe begging you, be an option for me. Please.

Democracy

I had a blog all written on the "myth of democracy." A scathing look at the joke much of our political system is. I didn't post it. Is it that I don't believe our system is terribly flawed? No, I think it is. It's just that, while so many things about our country frustrate me to no end, I look around the world and am thankful I live here.

Our election process is laughable. We elect people, but nothing much changes, not usually. (Thanks for NOTHING Democratic congress.) However, we're not Kenya, where people are getting killed over the possibly rigged election. (You though 2000 was bad here, we weren't killing each other!) We're not Pakistan where homegrown terror groups just killed off a main politician in Benazir Bhutto.

We're not Fiji, where the army took over and tourism and sugar production have dropped severely since. We're not Sudan, where the government tacitly supports genocide by not doing anything to stop it. Or Somalia, where there is no government.

What I'm saying is that I'm thankful to be an American. I'm not a great patriot. I'm frequently sickened and embaressed by my nation. But I love my country and want good things for it and ALL who live here. I can only pray that as this ugly campaign season takes off I won't let it cloud my eyes. I criticize because I love. I vote because I can't complain if I don't. And I can pray for true change.