These are the historic results of the night (as they're being reported now):
- The U.S. re-elected the first African-American president.
- Three more states passed marriage equality acts (Maine, Maryland, Washington).
- At least 19 women will serve in the U.S. Senate, a record number (20, if ND elects Heidi Heitkamp).
- The first openly lesbian U.S. senator was elected: Tammy Baldwin from Wisconsin.
- The first openly bisexual U.S. representative is projected to be elected: Kyrsten Sinema from Arizona.
- Two states legalized recreational use of marijuana (Colorado, Washington).
- This is the first time since 1801-1825 that we have had three two-term presidents in a row.
For the record, I am incredibly thrilled about the marriage equality laws that got passed last night, but I think it's pathetic that we are voting on other people's rights in the 21st century. The fact that the first openly lesbian senator was just elected, but the state that she represents (WI) banned same-sex marriage in 2006, is wrong. Marriage was defined as "one man and one woman" in Arizona in 2008, which means if Sinema is elected to the House, she will also represent a state that wouldn't support her if she fell in love with a woman and wanted to get married.
As for President Obama, I think it is great that as the first African-American to get elected president he got re-elected. I feel like race wasn't really allowed to be talked about in this election, and maybe I' not "allowed" to talk about it now, but I think it's important. I think that it proves to ourselves and the world that we do care about the content of someone's character more than the color of someone's skin. I don't know if it would have been said outright or not if Obama had lost, but I really feel like the far right would have ended up subtly hinting that we need to go back to the "traditional America." They (FOX News) did mention "traditional America" yesterday, when they realized that there are more people of minority races than white people in the U.S. now.
Nineteen or twenty women in the Senate is a record? That's only a fifth of the members! I think it's great that more women are getting elected to Congress, but we need to push that number up. Women make up more than half of this country's population; we need adequate representation in Washington.
I don't have an opinion on recreational marijuana use. It is my view that it should be allowed for medical purposes, but beyond that I don't see a reason for it. Just because I don't see a need for it, however, doesn't mean that I really care one way or another if other people use it.
Overall, this was an incredible campaign (while I am aware that there were problems on both sides, I'm spending today being happy about the win; there's time for criticism later). I was in tears last night when our president was re-elected. I was so overwhelmed. This is the most emotionally invested I have ever been in a political campaign, and it paid off! All the hours spent calling people, talking to people, getting up early, and going to bed late paid off. Listening to President Obama's victory speech last night made me feel delighted, honored, and proud to be an American.
I leave you with my favorite quote from last night's victory speech and a photo:
"I have always believed that hope is that stubborn thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us so long as we have the courage to keep reaching, to keep working, to keep fighting."
"Be the change you wish to be in the world." --Gandhi
As for President Obama, I think it is great that as the first African-American to get elected president he got re-elected. I feel like race wasn't really allowed to be talked about in this election, and maybe I' not "allowed" to talk about it now, but I think it's important. I think that it proves to ourselves and the world that we do care about the content of someone's character more than the color of someone's skin. I don't know if it would have been said outright or not if Obama had lost, but I really feel like the far right would have ended up subtly hinting that we need to go back to the "traditional America." They (FOX News) did mention "traditional America" yesterday, when they realized that there are more people of minority races than white people in the U.S. now.
Nineteen or twenty women in the Senate is a record? That's only a fifth of the members! I think it's great that more women are getting elected to Congress, but we need to push that number up. Women make up more than half of this country's population; we need adequate representation in Washington.
I don't have an opinion on recreational marijuana use. It is my view that it should be allowed for medical purposes, but beyond that I don't see a reason for it. Just because I don't see a need for it, however, doesn't mean that I really care one way or another if other people use it.
Overall, this was an incredible campaign (while I am aware that there were problems on both sides, I'm spending today being happy about the win; there's time for criticism later). I was in tears last night when our president was re-elected. I was so overwhelmed. This is the most emotionally invested I have ever been in a political campaign, and it paid off! All the hours spent calling people, talking to people, getting up early, and going to bed late paid off. Listening to President Obama's victory speech last night made me feel delighted, honored, and proud to be an American.
I leave you with my favorite quote from last night's victory speech and a photo:
"I have always believed that hope is that stubborn thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us so long as we have the courage to keep reaching, to keep working, to keep fighting."
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| I got interviewed on my way out of the polls. Great way to end the campaign! |
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