Wow. So this is what taking back control of the country feels like.
To be honest, I'd love to play the cheerleader, and write holy screeds about how we won. The problem is, I'm kind of a rational type guy, and I know that we didn't win. A lot of candidates I supported did. And that's a start. What we as voters have done is break the strangle hold that the Republican rubber-stamp Congress has had on our nation and our public will. It's been pretty delightful to read a lot of the wingers screaming about how terrorists and the UN are happy with yesterday's results. Get a clue, asshats. Those folk didn't vote yesterday; the American people did. And the vast majority of the American people are probably pretty damned happy with yesterday's result as well. Though the wingers get all freaky by the thought, here's the truth of it: if the American people don't like what's happening with our government, we're more than capable of changing it. And, bottom line, that's exactly what we did. To that degree, we sure as hell won.
Bush is no longer in charge. Now, he has to deal with the will of the people, pesky bunch that we are. Using his presser today as an indicator, I'm sure it's gonna take his frat-boy brain weeks (if not months) to realize that the people sent a message yesterday. This is our country, George, not yours. Quit fucking it up in our name. Firing Rummy was a good start at actually serving the people. It would have been a better start if Bush hadn't have lied his ass off about it in order to influence the election. To be honest, that kind of bullshit, alone, should be an impeachable offense. But I don't want W impeached. I want him around to see the crap he's piled on our plates get thrown right back at him. I want him to see that we, the people, don't suffer foolishness and incompetence without limit. I want him to choke every time he says the words "Speaker Pelosi". I want him to see, for the first time in his over-privileged sheltered life, that the American people are not his subjects. We are in charge, and he works for us. That asshat has never really had a boss before. Since the overwhelming majority of us have, it's time we show him what it's like. That's what we did yesterday. We've given him a gift, a gift that will keep on giving for the next two years. He's actually going to have to do his job, and I take sweet pleasure in the knowledge that he's going to hate every minute of it. After all, "It's hard! It's hard work!". Too bad, George.
Of course, we have a job to do as well. Winning was a start, but not the finish. Mr. Tester is going to Washington, and Conrad is going ... oh, shit, I don't care where he goes. We need to make certain that Congress speaks for us, in both houses. Yesterday, we made a statement about who works for whom. We can't drop the ball now. We need to make sure that Jon Tester represents Montana, and hold him accountable 6 years from now if he doesn't. I think he'll do fine; in fact, I think he'll do great. But if he doesn't, then I will be among the first to remind the people of Montana exactly what we said yesterday: "We are in control".
I do want to congratulate Franke Wilmer, our newest state Representative from HD 64. She is terrific folk, and she'll be hell-on-wheels in the legislature. And I'm going to pre-emptively congratulate J. P. Palmnichowski. I am saddened, however, that Gallatin County saw fit to send 3 of the biggest headaches back to Helena. Roger 'the lie-monkey' Koopman, John 'useless' Sinrud, and Jack 'workers be damned' Ward. Strangely enough, 3 different people today tried to tell me that Gallatin county is historically Democratic. I like to refer to those folks as 'history challenged'.
Still, the mandate remains the same. Those folk have their job, which is to represent us. And we have ours, which is to make sure that they're doing their job. We won big, yesterday, folks. Not Democrats and not Republicans. We the people won, but we'd best be ready, 'cause the next game gets played in two years and the people can't afford to lose.
Other than some of the personal malice, which I think is really unnecessary, I am hard pressed to disagree with much of what you say.
I think that much of what happened yesterday was a vote against something or someone. In an election like that, it is hard to know what people are for.
I read interviews this morning with many voters and the common theme was change. I think there is some change for change's sake. And that is not necessarily a bad thing either.
Posted by: Gee Guy | November 08, 2006 at 05:24 PM
Give it a couple of months. It'll wear off.
Posted by: Dave Budge | November 08, 2006 at 10:02 PM
Yes, this is the new mantra from the Right - "The Dems didn't win. The Republicans lost." And it was really fun listening to Tom Delay - a man with no job - lecture us about that. Doncha love arrogance so thick it can't accept someone else might have a better vision for America?
I'm for freedom and liberty. I'm for doing the right thing. I'm for long-term solutions over wack-a-mole reacting. I'm for the values that made America the land of the free. I'm for the planet clean. I'm for truth. And that's what I voted for yesterday.
"They that can give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." - That's the vision for America I voted for.
And appeals to polite discourse from a right winger? Seriously? You think that dog will hunt? Like some Freedom Fries with that?
Posted by: Jon | November 09, 2006 at 10:01 AM
On the national front, I am soooo pleased, but like you... I am a tad disappointed in the local Gallatin County election.
Yippee, we get "Kookman" back in office.
A REAL tribute to public service that man is. All I can say is that his sappy Mr. Rogers TV ad was super special... After all he alone made Hwy 191 safer, right? (For a Mom and her kids, remember, forget the rest of us.) What an ass. I tire of the politicians that play the heart strings of ordinary people... with sickening music to boot. I would have LOVED for the dems to put an ad out for Vincent.. and maybe another to show how Kookman wants to turn back the hands 'o time and get that pesky evolution out of the text books.
Yep, this man's a real visionary.
However, in the bright big picture, our national politics can only get better from here.
Posted by: Matt | November 09, 2006 at 02:06 PM
Jon, you make a legitimate point. It's hard to discuss it without it sounding like sour grapes. It is an insult to all Democrats to simply suggest the GOP just handed it to them; the Democrats won and the GOP lost. Fair enough.
But you go on to say you're "for" freedom, liberty, doing the right thing, long term solutions, values, and truth. If you want to suggest that as a summary of the Democrat's platform, fine. But it's a little vague, isn't it? With all due respect, the campaign is over and now those things need to be translated into actual priorities, right?
And, finally, I won't claim that my posts are never intemperate, but for the most part I try to be respectful of even those I disagree with. So you can take your Freedom Fries and shove them right up your a$$ one at a time.
(That was a joke.)
Posted by: Gee Guy | November 09, 2006 at 02:18 PM
"With all due respect, the campaign is over and now those things need to be translated into actual priorities, right?"
No. Not really. It would be nice of course. But, in my humble opinion, just changing control of Congress is a massive move towards freedom, liberty, doing the right thing, long term solutions, values, and truth. Just zeroing out the balance of Bush's political capital improves the world's opinion of the United States. We are better off than we were yesterday.
Bush and the Republican Congress were *that* bad.
Posted by: Jon | November 09, 2006 at 02:49 PM
Oh. And I have put fries up my butt. Once. At band camp. While I found it mildly erotic, it's not something I'll do again. I plead innocence of youth and all that.
Posted by: Jon | November 09, 2006 at 02:52 PM
Mildly erotic? Holy smokes, I thought I was wild when I was young, but...
Posted by: Gee Guy | November 09, 2006 at 06:03 PM
Congratulations, Mr. Montana! I am soooo happy, my feet haven't stopped dancin' yet...
Thank you for all your hard work over the years. I believe the positive changes we are about to witness in our fair country would not have had a chance if it weren't for the articulation of people like you throughout the internets, conscientious and compassionate, pointing out the glaring wrongs and ills of our recent history.
You should be very proud of yourself. I know I am. Look what you did! Mighty pen! with keystrokes as sure as quill on parchment.
Posted by: Kate S. | November 09, 2006 at 06:20 PM
Lord Acton wrote: "Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely."
Do you really think any party of power can avoid it? I don't, not even a little. I live in a Democraticly controlled state (NC), has been for, well... seems like forever and it's just as corrupt as any other state, well except for maybe LA.
Posted by: Jon | November 13, 2006 at 05:50 PM
Lord Acton wrote: "Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely."
Do you really think any party of power can avoid it? I don't, not even a little. I live in a Democraticly controlled state (NC), has been for, well... seems like forever and it's just as corrupt as any other state, well except for maybe LA.
Posted by: Jon | November 13, 2006 at 05:51 PM