An Election and Its Aftermath

So, presented here for your reading pleasure (assuming, of course, that it accomplishes its purpose), my reaction to the aftermath of "Election 2006" (or whatever your favorite news station has decided to call it):

1. Mike and I get the autograph we want. Mike made a really good point several days before the election, and it was this: When you graduate from a California State University school (e.g., the one, perhaps, in Fullerton), the governor of that great state (or rather a machine designated for the purpose) puts his John Hancock on your diploma. And so, despite all of Ahnold's liberal leanings in the past few months, we were happy to see that he won reelection. Would you rather have on your college diploma the signature of some Joe Schmo Politico, or the Governator himself?

2. Why of all things does a term from horse racing get used to describe the spoils of electoral victory? So the Democrats ended up winning not only a majority in the House, which is what Mike and I saw when we watched the election results late Tuesday night, but also the majority in the Senate and a majority of state governorships (not counting our great state of Cahleefohnia, as mentioned above). When I went to my conducting class on Wednesday morning, one of the grad students in the class was so excited that she conducted better than she ever had before, and crowed over the "trifecta" that the Democrats had achieved. Wait, I thought they were supposed to be donkeys....

3. No props to the Props. As usual, not only did the candidates I voted for not win, I was defeated in my proposition choices as well. Propositions 1A through 1E all passed, although I have to confess that I voted my own interests in that I did vote for A, B and D--two transportation bills because I hate traffic, and money for schools because I'm a college student (so I'm bequeathing a legacy to those who come after me). I voted no on Prop 83 (because it added to prison populations and spent lots and lots of unnecessary monies), but it passed; I voted yes on Prop 85 (because baby steps to ban abortion are all that are possible at this point), and it did not pass. Thankfully, all of the new tax bills (86 through 89) did not pass, although Mike was still rooting for 89 regarding campaign ads for politicians. And for some really odd reason, Prop 90 got a majority of "nay" votes, although I can't imagine very many people who are outspokenly for abuses of eminent domain. Part of me feels like this proposition was confusing because a yes vote meant no and a no vote meant yes; but part of me is horrified to think that it was so confusing that it actually passed on the wrong side when people meant something else.

4. I already know who I want to vote for in 2008. One of the Senate races that was watched most closely was the one in Pennsylvania, between the Republican incumbent Rick Santorum and the Democratic challenger Bob Casey (Jr., I think). It was a hotly contested election, but in the end Casey came out on top. Mike and I, as we were flipping back and forth between channels on Tuesday night, came upon Santorum's concession speech from his campaign headquarters. Now, I'd heard his name before and I was aware of the race; but I had never really seen him speak before. And I was blown away. It was the classiest and most heartfelt concession speech I could imagine from a man who seemed to radiate integrity to his core. The first thing he said was that he had called Casey to congratulate him, and talked about how he would do a great job for the people of Pennsylvania, and said (to all his supporters there) "Let's give him a round of applause." It started very slow and half-heartedly, and he insisted "Come on, give it up, give him a round of applause!" Through the whole speech he was gracious and conceded his defeat with dignity, not rescinding a word of what he had said during the campaign while supporting his opponent in his new role. (You can watch a YouTube video of his speech here.) I asked Mike afterwards if Santorum was a possibility for a Republican presidential candidate in 2008, and he said yes; so on the off chance Santorum or one of his supporters reads this, I say with gusto, Go for it! He'd get my vote, at least.