Oh Hurrah! Oh Joy!

Allen conceded. Burns conceded. Katherine Harris and Rick Santorum went down in flames. The Democrats control the Senate.

Rummy’s gone (OK, Gates is a lousy choice for a replacement, but still, Rummy’s gone).

The Democrats control the House.

Rove was wrong.

Diebold didn’t steal another victory.

For the first time in six years, I have a glimmer of hope for my country.

Off to join Taihae running naked through the streets and shouting Woohoo with Dive. James and I have exchanged cyber high-fives. Way to go US!

The Fallout from the Thumpin’ At Last Night’s Rodeo

If you didn’t to the Bush news conference, you might want to check it out the news reports. In it, he admits that last night’s election (aka, a “rodeo”) was a “thumpin’.” You can read about it on Salon.com’s War Room blog (you’ll have to scroll down, as this is an ongoing news blog).

Good riddance, Donald Rumsfeld.

South Dakota rejected the all-out abortion ban.

Democrat Jon Tester won a Senate seat in Montana. Guess associating with criminals can cost even an old warhorse like Conrad Burns a seat.

Everything hangs on the Virginia Senate now. Looks like it might (and perhaps should) go to a recount. The Greens will really be in the outs if they cost the Democrats the Senate. I am considering sending their party chair a little note about their decision to run a candidate in such a close election.

We Just Might Get Our Country Back

Well, now, this is a better day, isn’t it? The American people, it seems, have woken up and smelled the lies and corruption. The Democrats have taken the House. A quick check on the Senate races in Montana and Virginia shows that Democrats are leading in both races, albeit by tiny, tiny margins.* We knew the Senate would be tough, but let’s hope those leads hold, and W. gets an even louder message about what the people think about where this country is going.

As sweet as this victory is, however, it isn’t the end of the fight. We now have to hold the Democrats accountable to the principles of the party. That might not (OK, probably won’t) be possible. A time will probably come, when, with the neocons safely confined to the dustbin of history, we will have to vote Green to have progressive voices heard. When this doesn’t mean de facto voting Republican, I will gladly vote Green.

This election, however, wasn’t about the Greens vs. the Democrats (ahem, Virginia, see note below). This election was about sending a message to George W. Bush that the American people will not stand for his actions anymore. It was about telling the neocons that we still stand for freedom and decency and not for fear and torture. That we do not stand for this war waged with lies and incompetence. And if it meant supporting the lesser of two evils to get rid of the vilest evil to ever take control of our country, then so be it.

It looks like it worked.

We just might get our country back. And that is a happy thought.

*A note to the Green Party of Virginia: WHAT IN HELL WERE YOU THINKING??????? OK, Webb isn’t an ideal candidate, but he is against the war. Allen? For it. There were larger issues at stake in this election. This just wasn’t the time for this. It wasn’t the time.

Vote!

OK, my fellow Americans, today is the big day. Vote. Voting is what makes democracy work. Do your part.

This is the little sticker I got from the little old lady
who cranked in my ballot. I put it on my little old lady hat
(which I was wearing to cover my sicky little head).

Remember This? Throw the Neocon Bums OUT!

Remember this? Let’s not have it happen again, OK? OK.

The time has come. Throw the neocon bums out!

They’ve bungled the war they launched under cover of deception.
They’ve failed to bring to justice those responsible for September 11.
They’ve dispensed with the foundation of western democracy.
They’ve tortured in our name.
They’ve mortgaged our future to secure the support of the rich.
They’ve sacrificed the environment for industry profits.
They’ve spread hate, distrust, and fear.
They’ve shown no shame after being caught spying on us.

They’ve controlled this country long enough.

Tomorrow we have a responsibility to stand up for democracy. To stand up for freedom. To stand up to those arrogant bastards who have taken everything good this country has ever stood for and tossed it aside for power’s sake.

Vote them out!

Check out Dr. James for information on how to keep your vote secure.