Here's the Thing

The outcome of yesterday's election is good... But it's not great. And before I go any further, let me say that I'm not usually a glass half-empty kind of girl.

Here's my issue:

Considering the state of affairs in our nation over the last six years, it's almost impossible for me to believe that nearly half of the people who voted still cast their ballots for Republicans. A perfect example comes to us from where else? Florida! In the old Sunshine State, 49% of the people of the Mark Foley district actually chose Foley over the Democrat on the ballot (albeit not actually Foley, but a replacement candidate)! Say no to gay marriage but yes to pedophiles?! Okay, I'm oversimplifying... but you get the point. The Senate is still up in the air. How is that possible?

"Morality" issues aside (if you can call them that), the saddest part for me, when it comes to the near equal electorate split, is that a lot of those red ballots were cast by poor, rural folks who need a liberal on their side more than anyone (including people who fall into my category on the socio-economic spectrum). I have relatives like this in South Carolina and I've yet to figure them out. Don't they get confused when they hear the economy is in great shape but they make six bucks an hour? Last I checked the Wall Street boom has yet to "trickle down" to the masses. I know I'm still waiting... and I'm a single woman who makes a good deal more than the average American family of four.

All of that said, of course I'm happy that the House is back in Democratic control and I'm hopeful that even if the Senate stays in the hands of the GOP, they're not going to be able to run rampant any longer. I just want to point out that no matter what anyone says, this was no real referendum. Voter turn out was average at best, validating yet another unfortunate aspect of our so called democracy -- half of Americans (you know, the half that doesn't actually vote) believes that their voices don't even really count. Where is the real revolution?

Two happy thoughts though before I go.

First, Nancy Pelosi.

Enough Said.

Second: A friend called me this morning and said that on her way to work today a banner was hung off the 101 in Burbank. It read simply: Mission Accomplished.

I loved that, but I have to add... ALMOST.