musings on Nov. 3rd, 2008

As I write this, I am sitting in my room on the day before election day, trying to take in the full magnitude of what could happen. Outsdide my window, it is raining, as it has been off and on for the last few days. A quick glance at the weather forecast for tomorrow indicates the return of the sun. Yeah, that sounds about right.

Seriously folks, whatever happens tomorrow, come next year GEORGE W. BUSH WILL NO LONGER BE OUR PRESIDENT!!! I remember a time when it almost seemed like this day would never come. I figured we'd all be wiped off the planet through global annihilation, or else Bush would somehow find a way to declare himself dictator for life, but none of that has come to pass. What's even better, is that practically everybody who is intelligent and semi-informed hates him now. How good it felt when the tide started to turn and those of us who were against him all along were finally proven right.

Of course, we could end up with the booby prize in the form of the McCain-Palin ticket. The next bit of good news is that this is looking increasingly unlikely. Swing states are turning blue, red states are learning to swing, and hundreds of thousands of people who were tricked into thinking that they were republicans are now waking up and realizing that they are actually democrats.

Ultimately, it looks like there's a very good chance that after tomorrow we will have a new leader who is intelligent, articulate, open-minded, and even-tempered. How amazing is that? Not only that, but Congress, as well as many state legislatures and executive branches, will also be moving to the left. In addition, many of us will have the opportunity to initiate more immediate change by passing or rejecting various ballot propositions, including the historic prop. 8 in California, which will not only be a huge victory for gays in CA but will be a very important symbolic victory for anyone who wants to see this state and this nation take on a more progressive agenda.

Don't get me wrong, I am preparing myself for the worst and knocking on wood even as we speak. The people of this country have let me down before, and like many of you I am familiar with the sensation of being burned. Still, I am shoring up all of the positive energy I can muster and basking in a glow of hope brighter and warmer than any I have experienced in a long time.

Let's do it people. Let's get out there and change the world.