yeaaa!

[7rider]

Here's a cycling-related tie-in.....

One of the guys on our LBS Sunday morning ride, and the Saturday morning N2 ride is a broadcaster with a local television station. I thought it was PBS, but no...it's a local network. Well....there he was last night...on t.v.....giving the news! How strange! I'm so used to seeing this guy on his bike (he rides a nice Cervelo) and in bike clothes, not sitting behind a desk with a suit and tie on!

[sfa]

What a great night it was (really worth the political hangover I have this morning!). McCain's speech was gracious and eloquent, and Obama's made me cry. Even my 9 year old DD was riveted.

Sarah

[Pax]

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am so happy right now!!

[OakLeaf]

:::treading very, very lightly....:::

The reason I cried for an hour last night is not because "we won" - precisely the opposite.

It's because Americans in this small but very public way have rejected the politics of hate and division. It's because we said that we no longer want every day to be about "we won" and "you lost."

I'm well aware that hate and division are alive and well, and were the victor or appear headed for victory in several statewide races . I'm also well aware that as President... well, never mind.

But for what last night as a whole says about America - I'm very proud. It's nothing short of breathtaking, really. And I can let go of at least a little bit of the recent despair.

[Crankin]

Well, here in the bluest of blue states, we are all pretty happy, if exhausted.
We had 3 ballot initiatives. They got a lot of interest during the election. The first was to abolish the income tax; it lost 70-30. The second was to decriminalize one ounce or less of marijuana; it passed by a 65% margin. The other one that passed was the one to abolish dog racing. I won't talk about that one.

I am supposed to go on a 35 mile ride today and I don't want to...

[OakLeaf]

We also had five statewide ballot initiatives.
(1) - made it harder to bring future initiatives to the ballot - passed
(2) - bond issue for environmental reconstruction - passed
(3) - the only one that might be considered strange - to enshrine in the state Constitution existing common law concerning riparian and underground water rights. I honestly didn't understand the issues very thoroughly, and I don't think very many people did, but mainly looked to the endorsements of organizations that I'm familiar with. Passed.
(5) - [yes that's right, there was no 4, as it was removed from the ballot] - the so-called "payday lending" initiative, to limit the interest rate on short-term loans to 28%. Despite an advertising barrage by the loan shark industry, passed handily, though by a slightly smaller margin than the previous four issues.
(6) - to build a casino. There were actually casino interests on both sides of this one - support from the company that had already lined up contracts for the monopoly casino, and opposition from other players in the business. Defeated.

[Tri Girl]

I cried when California was officially announced and he was named President-Elect. I've never been emotional about politics, but this one made me so happy!!!!!

"Yes We Can" now needs to become "Yes We Will"!!!!

I'm proud of ALL Americans who turned out to vote. With a regular voter turnout at a pathetic 54%, this election spoke volumes about people no longer wanting to be complacent in our electoral process. Go America (and I'm sure the rest of the world is just as glad it's all over).

[Presto]

I went to bed anxiously, hanging on to a last shred of optimism. I woke up in despair. And just can't stop crying.

I'm not married any more.

My soul said I was married. My family said I was married. My minister said I was married. My church said I was married. The State of California said I was married. Even our photographs said I was married.