This thread is for those that have already voted.
I'm one of those Americans that has voted in 6 Presidential elections and my vote has never officially "counted" in the Presidential race. I have voted for the Democratic nominee since Michael Dukakis inspired me in 1988, and each year Texas has chosen electors to the electoral college that did not vote for my candidate. So technically, I've voted in each primary and each general election since 1988, but I've never had a vote in the electoral college.
This year, in my sixth election, it is still the same. The electoral college, in my estimation, actually supports the Republican regime. For an African American to even be close at this stage means that this country is changing. Change is happening, it is not something that just comes after the election.
So although I'm reflective, and a bit sad that Texas is likely going to take a back seat on progress, but I'm afraid this is not the first time, and based on the backwards beliefs of many of my fellow citizens, it will not be the last. But I voted today. And I got three friends to vote Obama. And some of them are paying it forward.
Moving from East Texas to Austin, Texas, I can see what progressive government, combined with an attentive electorate, can do. And I can't wait to see what Barack Obama does with an attentive electorate, each feeling they had a piece of this victory. We must give him room to lead, but it is ok to have high expectations. Lowered expectations is what got us to elect someone like George W. Bush over Ann Richards, and then again over Gore and Kerry. I can't wait.
So let's let it out, you people who have voted. What did it make you think about?