Election stuff

[yendi]

So, overall, I'm pretty pleased with most of the major election results last night, although too many Dems seem to be taking it as a "major victory," when they won two governorships that had already been in the party. Given NJ's leanings, a loss would have been a huge upset, but a win is still nice. In VA, since they do tend to go Republican, and couldn't re-elect Warner (and what the fuck was the entire state smoking when then instituted a one-term limit?), it was a good win, but I'm not putting too much stock in one off-year election.

Glad that most of the California issues got defeated, although I'd have liked to see the one electoral issue on the CA and OH ballots actually get some serious consideration.

Locally, I was pleased to see that Dekalb managed to support all three ballot initiatives (for road/traffic improvement, libraries, and parks). All three were desperately needed, and the fact that it was as close as it was says way too much about this fucking state. Still, maybe some of the freepers and others will get pissed and move out of the state, or at least to another city/county (hey, Sandy Springs, maybe?).

I'm not shocked that Texas banned gay marriage, seeing as, you know, they're Texas, and Austen is only a small part of it. I was happy to see Maine not support their anti-gay bill (although that one had nothing to do with marriage, just the looney idea that gays shouldn't be discriminated against).

Seeing the entire group of "Intelligent Design" creationists get their asses handed to them in PA was definitely a nice thing.

New York going to Bloomberg wasn't a surprise. Although the idea that it's been four years since Giuliani left office is rather strange. Likewise, Shirley Franklin's reelection was pretty much a no-brainer down here.

Comments

[ellyssian.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was pretty psyched about the PA stuff, seeing as it is (reasonably) close to home...

[popfiend.livejournal.com]

I'm not shocked that Texas banned gay marriage, seeing as, you know, they're Texas, and Austen is only a small part of it.

The thing is that they also essentially banned civil unions and domestic partnerships for straight people. And I can BET you that a large portion of the audience has NO idea that they did that.

Seeing the entire group of "Intelligent Design" creationists get their asses handed to them in PA was definitely a nice thing.

But in Kansas, they won, so it is still a net loss.

So, overall, I'm pretty pleased with most of the major election results last night, although too many Dems seem to be taking it as a "major victory," when they won two governorships that had already been in the party. Given NJ's leanings, a loss would have been a huge upset, but a win is still nice. In VA, since they do tend to go Republican, and couldn't re-elect Warner (and what the fuck was the entire state smoking when then instituted a one-term limit?), it was a good win, but I'm not putting too much stock in one off-year election.

It's less of a victory for the Dems than a loss for the GOP. At least in VA. And I don't understand the one term limit thing. VA does do good things for Mark Warner who can run for President, is a Southerner, has moderate credentials and was a Governor. Please oh, please let him win the nomination. He can soooo win! :) *pines*

[yendi]

The thing is that they also essentially banned civil unions and domestic partnerships for straight people. And I can BET you that a large portion of the audience has NO idea that they did that.

True, but at least a huge chunk of them probably oppose pre-martial sex, cohabitation, etc., as well.

But in Kansas, they won, so it is still a net loss.

I figure that we had less to lose with Kansas than with Maine, a state that actually produces some worthwhile stuff in categories other than "college sport teams." :-)

At this point, I think Warner has to be a front-runner, although it's a little early to tell for sure. But this election was great news for his chances.

[ckd]

Arguably, they banned marriage for straight people, since that would be "identical to marriage". Since we don't want judges legislating from the bench, either, they'd better be strict constructionists and enforce that as written.

[leonardpart6.livejournal.com]

The thing is that they also essentially banned civil unions and domestic partnerships for straight people. And I can BET you that a large portion of the audience has NO idea that they did that.

Same thing happened here in Ohio last year. Got rid of civil unions, common law marriage, the works. And it wasn't until after the election that voters wised up and said, "um, we did what?"

Whoops.

Politics

[muse0fire.livejournal.com]

although too many Dems seem to be taking it as a "major victory," when they won two governorships that had already been in the party.
At this point I think they're grasping at any little victory just to make us look like we're not just a big party of losers :-)
Locally, I was pleased to see that Dekalb managed to support all three ballot initiatives
Um yeah, *sheepish grin*, thanks for helping me off my high horse, although as you say, the race WAS close - but glad it had a happy ending.
I'm not shocked that Texas banned gay marriage
Fuckin' Texas.
Shirley Franklin's reelection was pretty much a no-brainer down here
Yeah, I like that woman - and when was the last time Atlanta had a decent politican in office? It's refreshing (and a bonus that she's a black woman.)

Re: Politics

[yendi]

Too true -- and she's such a welcome change from Bill Campbell.

[celticfeministw.livejournal.com]

Coming from the great state of OH, I'm quite a bit disappointed that all of the election reforms on the ballot got stomped like they did. But, the other side did a helluva job campaigning against the issues, making them all look big and scary and apocalyptic. My favorite was the campaign against Issue 3, which would have put caps on campaign donations. They literally called the groups pushing for the issue "The Devil" and somehow made a case against capping campaign contributions by saying it would increase special interest spending. ?!?! Their argument still didn't make any sense to me, but it worked all too well ... even though anyone with a smidgen of critical thinking skills could have seen through that ad. It amazes me how much fear mongering still works. I mean, vote against it if you will, but jaysus give me some logical and sound reasoning for it.

I had really been hoping for at least Issue 5 to win, which would have taken the electoral control away from the Secretary of State and given it to an appointed 9 person panel - especially after we had Mr. Ken Blackwell (our current, ultra conservative Sec'y of State) boasting about how he managed to win the state for Dubya last year. Impartial much?

I'm also wondering how TX's new anti-gay laws will pan out. Here in OH, the amendment has managed to fuck up protection orders and legal recourses for battered women who aren't married to their batterers, which I'm sure no one on the anti-gay marriage bandwagon really anticipated. And I'm sure that's not the only fallout from the amendment, though to me it's a pretty big one.

On a bright note, even though KS fumbled the ball (I'm not surprised), I was very glad to see the Dover board get ousted. It might be a wash, but that little bit of victory was still pretty sweet.

[yendi]

"logical and sound," alas, has never been a phrase with any place in politics.

My concern with Ohio is that, given the very likely chance of Diebold-controlled voting machines having impacted the election last year, the measure may very well have had no chance of passing, no matter who voted for it.

[leonardpart6.livejournal.com]

My favorite was the campaign against Issue 3, which would have put caps on campaign donations. They literally called the groups pushing for the issue "The Devil" and somehow made a case against capping campaign contributions by saying it would increase special interest spending.

The ads also said that it would have allowed a flood of out-of-state folks to finance campaigns... which is exactly what the issue would ban.

Oh, illegally false ad campaigns. Will the press ever report on you?

[endora.livejournal.com]

"I'm not shocked that Texas banned gay marriage, seeing as, you know, they're Texas, and Austen is only a small part of it."

Gay marriage was already illegal in Texas before this vote. This just made sure it was written into the state constitution, and it was written in such a way that all civil unions, "common law" marriages, domestic partnerships, etc could have no legal standing in this state. It's just shameful.

Travis County, TX (where Austin is located) is the only county that defeated the proposition. At least that's what I'm reading this morning.

My husband & I often remark that we live on a friendly blue island in a hostile red sea.

[imortalscot.livejournal.com]

(and what the fuck was the entire state smoking when then instituted a one-term limit?)
Actually I'm glad that they did. The Governer before Warner really fucked the state up. I shudder to think what he could have done with another term in office.

[d2leddy.livejournal.com]

(and what the fuck was the entire state smoking when then instituted a one-term limit?),

Try living here. We'll start with Virginia Beach where cursing is illegal, complete with no profanity warning signs in the down town and beach areas. The People's Republic of Virginia. Who are Republican. Yeah. Try living here.

No shit??

[muse0fire.livejournal.com]

Really? No profanity?? WOW! Does that not impinge on free speech? I'm not suggesting people should walk around cursing (I've been trying to get my husband and myself to actually clean up our language a bit), but should I suddenly blow a timing belt or have a rock land on my foot, I'd like the option to scream "fuck!" fairly loudly.

Re: No shit??

[d2leddy.livejournal.com]

Yes, it does impinge on free speech. But welcome to the People's Republic . . .

An article about this. (http://my.highschooljournalism.org/va/hampton/hsjinstitute/article.cfm?eid=701&aid=8200)

Re: No shit??

[voltbang.livejournal.com]

Free speech? What are you? Some kind of commie pinko commie?

Yeah, Va Beach is a family beach, so no cursing, no thongs, no being sexy, and if you have any hotness hidden away under your burka, no saying no to the navy guys. The Navy is good for Va Beach.

[iroshi.livejournal.com]

I'm not shocked that Texas banned gay marriage, seeing as, you know, they're Texas, and Austen is only a small part of it.

Yeah, I figured my vote and texasmeercat and mcredneck wouldn't be enough to swing the Dallas vote, ya know? But hey, we tried. ^_~

[sirinek.livejournal.com]

The entire slate of folks running on the "Lets Rid Roswell Road Of The Mexicans" won their seats in Sandy Springs.

A clearly insane woman won 6% of the vote for mayor of Roswell. :)

[voltbang.livejournal.com]

I got Dick(head) Black out of office. That's cause for celebration. Even with his suggestions that Poisson might be, you know, *wink* *wink* a bachelor, you know, not married, *wink* *nudge* you know, gay, somehow, people voted him out. Which may be a bad thing for them, because the minister at his church said that anyone who voted wrong, would burn in the fires of hell for all eternity. Ok, sarcasm aside, those thigns happened in the final days of the campaign. Black accused Poisson of being gay, and had his minister threaten the congregation with damnation and hellfire should they allow their votes to support the gay agenda by voting for candidates affiliated with gay causes. Poisson didn't have to do any negative campaigning, there was a citizen group doing it for him, before Black even had an opponent. Black was so repugnant that many members of his own party endorsed his opponent.

But like someone else said, the VA governor race wasn't about dems winning. They tried to lose. The republican candidate just tried harder. That race was at least as ugly as the one Dick(head) Black ran.

Still, it is a bit of on indicator. There is some public sentiment that the dems can tap into, if they can resist the urge to fuck it up.