Relief

Funny . . .

I honestly feel completely okay with the results of this election. I'm resigned to it, and believe it or not, I actually feel a little bit relieved. Can you believe that? But it's true.

I feel relieved that it's all over, for one. I did a ton of canvassing here in AZ, and worked hard right up until the polls were closed to get Kerry elected. I'm tired, and glad to get a little rest. But it's more than that-- U.S. Presidential elections, by nature, are deeply divisive times for our country and for the collective psyche of the whole world. At last we have an end to the jibs and jabs, the polls, the endless predictions and analysis, the campaign ups and downs, and the deep feeling of uncertainty as to where our country is headed. Finally, I can go back to being a normal person again. It's a beautiful day outside, there's a cat cuddled up on my lap, and the insanity is over.

And thanks be to God, I am very relieved that the election process itself went rather well! At least, compared to last time. There's no evidence that the electronic polling machines were rigged, tampered with, or went haywire. The media mostly behaved itself. And we didn't have lawyers and judges deciding the election-- all in all, we really had a pretty tidy election, despite the fact that it was close. And that's a good thing.

Of course, I was surprised at the result. My most objective analysis of what I thought were going to be the deciding factors definitely favored Kerry for the win. And of course, I was wrong. But I'm relieved to know the truth of the matter. I'm relieved to know exactly how my fellow countrymen feel about these candidates, the campaigns they ran, and the issues they stood for. Of course, I'm not overly pleased with their decision, but it's still better to know who you're living with everyday than not to. Everybody-- welcome to the country you live in. (However, those of you convinced that we now live in Jesusland and that homophobia won this election for Bush, think again, and enjoy this important read.)

But most of all, I'm actually quite relieved for John Kerry! It's true! Because if he had been elected, he would have had a really, really, really hard time of it. He would have had to raise taxes-- never a popular thing to do, even if it's just on the rich. He would have inherited a wobbly economy, the credit for its successes going to Bush, but its failures in his lap, regardless of the truth of the matter-- and you can just imagine the reaction he'd get if it took a dive after he repealed some of Bush's tax-cuts. Kerry would have had the Herculean job of paying down Bush's massive deficits, leaving little if any money for his favorite domestic policies. Even if he did come up with the money, he'd face a bitterly hostile Republican-controlled Congress, anyway. And consider this: if the country got hit by a terrorist attack after his inauguration, the Right would be wringing their hands and wailing at our collective signaling of weakness to the terrorists by the banishing of our fearless defender, Sir George. They'd literally blame it on Kerry, by virtue of him not being Bush. But worst of all, Kerry would inherit a truly awful, nearly no-win situation in Iraq.

Kerry would be blamed for his failure to resolve these massive problems, despite the fact that he didn't cause them. The argument would go that Bush never got a chance to finish implementing his plans, and that if he had, everything would have gone swimmingly. Instead, Kerry took over and messed it all up. And the Left would abandon him, too, since he'd be blamed for for spending money to wage an aggressive war in Iraq (he couldn't be caught refusing to fund the war ever again), while at the same time failing to accomplish much or any of his progressive domestic agenda hopes, despite merciless resistance from Congress. Kerry would be like the guy standing over the crime scene with blood on his hands when the cops show up, having just scared off the true culprit. No thanks!

Of course, that's a lot of conjecture, and it may not have gone that way at all-- I believed Kerry to be up to the task, and that's why I voted for him. But to the degree that I wanted to hold Bush accountable to his actions, (and I did), I have to admit to feeling rather satisfied with the outcome. Bush broke it-- he should have to fix it. And I wish him all the best. Truly. We need peace in the Middle East. If Bush can create a functional and moderately prosperous democracy out of the current mess in Iraq without causing our own country to implode around our debt or say a draft, then he deserves huge kudos for it.

Those of you freaking out about the Democratic party and its future, please stop. In just about every respect, I like our prospects now better than I have in a long time. Really! Here-- if it helps, read some of my favorite blogging on the issue of the future of the Left, and see if that don't help you feel a little relieved as well.

Tomorrow awaits! Chin up.

Cheerio!

Mookie