A Few Thoughts on the Election Results

Locally...

I am bummed out about several of the bonds not passing.

Nationally...

I am not a registered Republican or Democrat. I would probably identify myself, if I absolutely had to, as a conservative Democrat, but there are so few of them left I just don’t try to identify myself anymore. I am pro life, anti gay marriage, and pro environment. I have as much suspicion of big government as I have of big corporations, and vice versa, and I believe in the legitimacy of the war against Islamic fundamentalism. I believe power corrupts. Everyone. I don’t believe in the inherent goodness of human beings, though I believe that goodness is part of the mix. Thus I believe in lots of checks and balances and am not freaked out by divided government. I don’t like Pat Robertson or Nancy Pelosi. I worry about China, and Iran, and a splintered Iraq. Blah Blah Blah, so what.

I think the Republican leadership in Congress has been inept, and that they deserve what has come, though some good men and women got caught in the mess who should not have. I believe that the post invasion handling of the war by the US civilian leadership stateside has been also inept, and if Donald Rumsfeld does not fall on his sword he is a coward. He should have done it a month, a year, or two years ago.

I am more conservative than liberal when it comes to national politics, except for the environment, but I am not an ideologue. Ideologues of the left and right scare me. Politics to me is all about being pragmatic and practical and getting what you can and, yes, cutting deals, and working with the other side, and compromising and being willing to subject your agenda, even your district's agenda, to the greater good. Not all the time. Sometimes you have to vote your conscience no matter what. But usually you need to be pretty pragmatic.

Despite what most people around here think, I think George Bush is a good egg. In fact, his good egg-ness is one of his political faults. He is loyal. That is a good thing. He is too loyal. That is a bad thing.

I actually think George Bush would have been a better president from the get-go if he had NOT had a Republican congress. I think he himself works better as a pragmatist than an ideologue, and being surrounded by the neo-cons and the Republican congress did not bring out the best in him.

I hope the country won’t be saddled with two years of hearings about this or that because it won't do much good, but I expect it’s coming.

I think the price of oil is too low, so I don’t like the idea of hearings about that.

I think a Democratic-controlled House and Senate will be good for whatever Republican runs for President in 2008.

I worry most for pro life issues, gay marriage issues, federal judgeship issues, the prosecution of the war on Islamic jihadism, and the economy.

I am hopeful for the environment, for progress weaning ourselves off foreign oil, for a changed policy in Iraq (since the Republicans seemed incapable of doing that), and for the minimum wage.

I am also hopeful that these two years could bring out the side of George Bush that was effective in Texas. We’ll see. It’s possible.

As a Christian I believe in a sovereign God who is in control, whoever wins. To me the good news of the universe is not who is president or who controls congress, but that Jesus is Lord. I believe that He has His purposes in these things, even when I don’t know what they are, and despite how I do or don’t feel about them.

Deep down I wish for the end of the Clinton-Bush era, and for a new generation to take the reigns, my generation. I think it’s our time now. I look to see what leadership will rise to the top now, in both parties. I’m tired of the same ole same ole. I look ahead, ahead of this year, ahead of next, in hope, and anticipation, not having a clue who it will be, but believing that there are smart and good people of different faiths, genders, and colors waiting to rise up and lead us into a new era.