ELECTION DAY

Thanks to the whole team for this discussion. But only one thread?? (Kidding! Ow! Stop!!)

Only twice in my lifetime have I been scared about an election: 1) 1972, when McGovern's loss caused my intensely democrat mother to call my father a 'Nixon-loving ass,' and 2) today.

Not so much because of the W-L column at the end of the day, but because of the hatred and polarity and true ugliness that has defined this election. I have always believed, as Moddy suggested, that we have a self-correcting government--it goes this way or that way but ultimately it just goes--but this time around, I think it goes nowhere and takes the rest of us with it.

 

What's the over-under on how long it takes for someone else to start another political thread on the board? I say it happens within the next two hours.

 

How I wish I lived in Alabama. Was there this past weekend and heard some GREAT radio ads. First was for a dude named Young Boozer.

Seriously. Young Boozer.

http://online.wSportsJournalists.com/article/SB10001424052702303891804575576461869561910.html

The other was some REALLY southern woman (think Paula Deen) talking about some random race and saying things like "Well, bless his heart, he doesn't want to talk about his record." It was fantastic.

 

Believe me, I know very little will change, but I always feel a little more comfortable when there is some checks and balances and not when the Congress and the executive branch are from the same party and they feel like they can do what they want.

The reason I'll be celebrating is because the governor in the state I live in has just been raising state taxes and spending $$$ on just ridiculous things and tons of businesses are leaving the state as a result. I'll be thrilled to have him gone and the local congressman has been just as bad. If Nate Silver is to be believed, both will be gone.

 

I'd be OK with the Republicans controlling the House and Democrats controlling the Senate. Ideally, that would force both sides to compromise as they attempt to pass legislation.

Whether that actually happens ... well, that's why I said ideally.

 

Too much of a deficit to make up when only 1/3 of the seats are up for grabs. Hard to grab 11 or 12 seats when only 33 are up. Plus, Team Elephant has to grab 51 seats to have a majority, as 50/50 votes are broken by Biden.

I voted in a district where the incumbent will get some 70 percent of the vote. I work in a district that may not be decided until after midnight. I did have three state constitutional amendments I had to cram for, while standing in breezing through the line at the poling place.

 

They say the same thing about Palin and Huckabee. I'd be stunned if any of them are the nominee in two years.

 

My mom asked me last night who would run in 2012. I kind of stumbled around and said that Palin wants to but I hoped she had marginalized herself enough where she wouldn't. I said Jindal was expected to but then he COMPLETELY MELTED DOWN in his speech in 2008. I'm so anti-Romney.

So long story short, I have no idea. And two years is a long time.

 

Best part of election day -- I get to sleep in. The place where I student teach is a polling center, so no school today.

Know how I'm voting in every race/issue except Ohio governor. Can't decide which one is "best for Ohio." There are things that make me nervous about either one. Will probably be a voting-time decision.