11.05.2008

YES WE DID!


(image stolen from the awesome Christine Norrie )

Well, that was sure fun, eh?!

I cried like a babyhead last night, watching MSNBC discuss the various options and paths that Obama could take in order to reach 270. Then, in a matter of mere seconds, call Oregon, Washington, and California for Obama, pushing him well over 270 and allowing the crowds gathered all over the country to take center stage for over five minutes of pure cheering, joy and excitement!



I still get goosebumps watching that.

Words cannot express how incredible it feels to know that America is shifting in a new direction. The world is welcoming us back with open arms, and we'll have the next four years to correct the mistakes of the previous eight. It's not going to be easy, you still have half the country thinking that Obama is a "Socialist," or even worse...and that's fine. Let them pout and be dismissive and wrong. They're quite comfortable with making up excuses whenever the facts don't fall in their favor. But we, you and I, must rise above it. We must lead this great nation into the high expectations we have set our hopes and dreams upon. We can't get caught up in bitter, petty fighting. Let the other side bitch and moan and offer nothing but fear and paranoia. Let them own their failures. We'll be too busy creating our successes.

We've come this far, there's no use in slowing down now.

(PS...please don't think I'm going to stop with the sarcasm and namecalling...it's my bread and butter, and dammit, I'm quite good at it. I'm simply saying that we can't get too caught up in that, because we have bigger problems to worry about. Over the next few months, the Republicans are going to do everything in their power to belittle President Obama and paint him out to be the next Jimmy Carter, and I'm more than willing to call them out on their bullshit.

That said, they're not even worth arguing with anymore. I've glanced at some of the usual "Here comes President Handout" blogs and websites today, and it's just so sad and hopeless to even attempt to correct them any longer. Let them hang themselves on the failed politics of old. The smear campaigns and fear tactics don't work any more and people want real solutions to real problems. Not the lame re-hashing of the last 30 years.

...and most of all, CHEER UP!

We kicked their ass for once! It's time to celebrate.)

7 comments:

laura said...

Yes We Did INDEED!!! What a great day for our country! Having spent almost all of my adult life embarrassed, cynical and angry with our government, I don't know how to process all this pride and hope. :)

ObamaRad.com said...

Very well said Travis! I am pumped for all of us to work hard for a brighter tomorrow!

Ryan

Bryan M. Stalder said...

Congratulations, by the way.. It sucks that McCain didn't win... I'll wait until Obama actually does something stupid to get mad about it.. In the mean time, I'm ready for an Obama administration already.. I'm tired of this speculation about what he's going to do.. Let's just see..

Bryan M. Stalder said...

By the way, I really like the "Yes We Did" icon... it illustrates the belief that his supporters have that all the world's problems have been solved now that he is elected.. I was naive enough to believe he actually had to sign something into law before "Yes We Did," would actually be applicable..

Travis said...

Bryan, you cynical fuck.

You think "YES WE DID" might simply mean that we won the election?!

I swear to God, you're so ate-up with your "knowledge" of Obama Supporters, Democrats, and Liberals in general...it's a wonder you manage to get any sleep at night.

Bryan M. Stalder said...

Travis, come on... I don't understand why I get to be labeled cynical when I say that I'm cautiously optimistic about an Obama presidency.. But what did "we" do yet..? Obama has been elected but he hasn't "changed" anything.. So I was simply pointing out that "Yes We Did" was a little premature.. I don't presume to know anything about liberals or Democrats other than a lot of hypocritical rhetoric, but I haven't talked to many people who can tell me three things that Obama is going to do to make this country better..

Travis said...

Yeah, you're cautiously optimistic, alright. You think Obama is a socialist, has ties to terrorists, went to a crazy church, is shadier than any Presidental candidate ever, and God knows what else...

But I'm positive you're going to give the man a fair shake.

I imagine you have a hard time finding people to give you three things Obama is going to do which will make this country better, because they're usually left speachless by the latest Sean Hannity talking point you've tossed at them.

For the last time, "YES WE DID" was for his supporters. WE helped get him elected because WE worked our ass off for him. I made phone calls, donated time and money, got my wife's parents to vote Democratic for the first time in their lives...that's what WE did.

And here's (way more than) three things that Obama is going to, which will make this country better...

Eliminate Bush's tax cuts. We owe way too much money around the world, are too much in debt to let those continue. Someone has to start paying for this shit, and I'd rather it be us instead of my children's children.

Close Guantanamo Bay. That has severly weakened our image in the world. Either try these prisoners or let them go. Secret prisons aren't the American Way and neither is torture.

Make a pledge to get us off foreign oil within 10 years. It's been a long time since our President has given us a mandate like this, and it's about time we rise to the occasion and show the world what America can do when we put our best minds together.

Undo a lot of Bush's Executive Orders. Wiretapping, rendition, torture...enough is enough of giving up our civil liberties in the name of fear and terror.

End cronyism. No more Horse Judges in charge of FEMA.

Talk to us like we're adults. It's about time we not only had a President who spoke well, but didn't give us half-truths and outright falsehoods...just so we wouldn't worry.

End the war in Iraq. Not end ALL wars, just the dumb ones. It's costing us lives, and more money than any of those Earmarks that McCain spoke of so often.

Inspire Americans to give back to their country. Have young people get a $4,000 college credit for joining the Peace Corps, or investing in their communities. Lead us with hope and promise, not fear and paranoia.

I could go on, but I'm sure you've heard many of these before.