President Obama reelected

[Edward theurj Berge]

I couldn't stay up for the results so woke up in the middle of the night instead. Obama wins reelection, yea! Elizabeth Warren wins a Mass. Senate seat! And much more to discuss in the next days. Back to bed for me to get a couple more hours before work.

[Balder]

Yes!!  I stayed up late (though not nearly as late as the East Coasters) to watch the race, and the speeches, to the end.  Apparently, Romney hadn't written a concession speech, so I guess he needed time to prepare one...  On a local level, I'm disappointed that the GMO labeling, anti-Monsanto proposition didn't pass in CA, but relieved that one of the education-funding props (30) did pass, since the schools here, which I deal with daily, are in really bad shape.  As for gay marriage, a landmark day in a number of states... 

[Mary W.]

I was up very late with relief and happiness -- overall things moved forward rather than backward. The Warren win is awewome! I loved how Obama mentioned the significance of global warming ... and  included "gay and straight" in his victory speech -- and emphasized the importance of solidarity and community (others might find that stuff corny, but it's very important to me). I'm also sorry about Prop 37 (GMO labeling) failing in CA -- and it looks like the attempt to repeal the death penalty failed too. But the two "rape candidates" (as they are being called) are out. In general, a good day in U.S. election history.

Yay! Now must nap.

[Mary W.]

Beyond the first openly gay U.S. senator (Wisconsin's Tammy Baldwin), here are some more firsts:

Buddhist, Hindu Make History with Elections to Congress.  -- Sen. Mazie Hirono and Representative Tulsi Gabbard.

[Edward theurj Berge]

And my prior favorite (besides Bernie Sanders) is back after losing last time around, Alan Grayson. Another very good sign. There is much to be grateful about.

[Edward theurj Berge]

We've had the first black President. Hillary will likely be the first woman with that honor if the economy improves in Obama's 2nd term. I wonder how many hundreds of years it will be before we get the first avowed atheist for the job, the last taboo.

[Mary W.]

Don't know how long that could be -- even getting an avowed agnostic in seems long way off. But a growing acceptance of diversity in terms of religious/spiritual affiliation bodes well for us, I think. Here's another good Huff-Po article: Election 2012: A New Day for Religion in America.

[Balder]

Interesting article on Obama's bipartisanship multiperspectivism.

[Edward theurj Berge]

Multiperspectival perhaps. But one with a multi view does not bargain with someone with a mono view who is unwilling to bargain at all. To do so only reinforces and enables the intransigent bully, to wit Obama's completely wasted efforts with the Republicans in his first 4 years. And comparing Rachel Maddow as an opposite equivalence to Ross Douthat is simply insane for the same reasons. Maddow, a gay woman who is one of those multi cross-culturals, is basing her opinions on such considerations. And oh yeah, facts.

I'm getting tired of this kind of so-called transpartisanship that thinks progressives need to compromise with racist, homophobic, fact and science-hating ignoramuses or we're considered one-sided and extremist. Obama won because he finally took the right side on progressive issues and quit the compromising with, as Ray Harris so wisely once said, what is not left or right but just plain wrong.

[Edward theurj Berge]

I just watched Fox News Sunday, as I often do to keep in touch with regressive rationalization. Ultraconservative talk show host Laura Ingraham was on this week and agreed with what I said above. She said as much in her earlier blog post of 11/9/12:

"When Barack Obama's Democrat party lost big in 2010, did he retreat from liberalism? No. On the contrary, he renewed his dedication to pursuing a progressive agenda--moving on gay marriage, partial amnesty, and the HHS mandate--and got those constituencies to show up at the polls.... Meanwhile, he nixed a deal to work with John Boehner, only to use GOP 'obstructionism' during campaign. All infuriatingly effective."

On the show this was in the context of the question: Do the election results indicate the need for more compromise in government? Ingraham says absolutely not. That Obama won by giving up on compromise and pursuing his progressive agenda, and he now has a mandate to continue that agenda. I rarely agree with Ingraham but she is right on this one.

She did also note that the conservatives must stick to their guns as well, not compromise on their principles. So as I also predicted we are in for much more obstuctionism in both the House and Senate, despite House speaker Boehner's bald-faced lie to the contrary.