Yes, it was a great victory for our President and for many Democrats running against Republicans for the Senate and House. But there is much work to be done in healing the chasm between red and blue, Democrat and Republican, conservative and liberal. We're not out of the woods yet.
While watching the electoral map last night I kept being struck by this great red swath through the South and middle of the country. Yes, the electoral votes were insufficient to defeat President Obama, but there were 22-24 states that strongly supported Mitt Romney in spite of the fact that his stated policies would be against their best interests. The victory margins for Romney in some red states equaled or surpassed those in strong blue states.
The popular vote is barely more than 1% in favor of our President. That is no mandate and after the cheering stops we have much more to do in healing the rift created by the scorched Earth policies of Karl Rove, Roger Ailes and a host of other GOP operatives who are supported by some of the richest people on the planet. Yes, the people showed that money alone cannot buy an election, but it can sure make it interesting....and stupid.
Sheldon Adelson is the perfect example of stupid...and smart. He owns and operates gambling and nefarious businesses in other parts of the world while raking in the 97% profit from his Vegas casinos (Nevada voted for Obama). He promised $100 million to defeat Obama. Why? Because if Romney won he could be assured that Romney/Republican policies would net him over $12 billion in new profits. How egalitarian and community oriented does that sound? How pro-deficit reduction is that...especially when he knows, just as Romney does, how to hide his money and avoid taxes?
I live in Texas and the voters here voted as they always seem to have voted since LBJ gave the South to the Republicans with the Voting Rights Act in 1964. LBJ did the right thing by the people, but lost the voting public to those who still live in an antebellum South. It's still that way here....strongly. Why else would something like Ted Cruz win a landslide victory for the U.S. Senate. He'll make the outgoing Kay Hutchison look like Ann Richards he is so radical. Mike Conaway, the former banker for the Bushes from West Texas was reelected to the House by 70%!! Rural counties in Texas vote Republican in the 90% range.
The Hispanic and African-American communities (the majority demographic in Texas and other states) must, in my opinion, come to realize the power they possess at the voting booth. Even in Mississippi, where the A-A demographic is in the majority, Republicans won there in low double digits. And that was with the A-A demographic that did vote voting almost 100% for the President.
There must be bridges built across the chasm if this country will have a functioning government. With a Congress having a lower approval rating than a pants full of fire ants, the message is clear. We MUST get money out of politics by passing a Constitutional amendment that not only overturns Citizens United v. FEC, but makes lobbying an elected official and his/her staff illegal. The election cycle should be shortened to 6 months. The Patriot Act must be rescinded to return the 4th Amendment to the people.
We simply cannot live in fear and hatred of one another any longer. There is too much at stake to let this wasting go forth. If we the people don't take charge of our country, we will go the way of all great societies that failed due to lack of interest while corruption took them down.