yeaaa!

[Popoki_Nui]

Congratulations, America!!!

[PamNY]

I went up to Rockefeller Center tonight. I though it would be fun to be in a crowd, and it was. A US map was on the ice rink, and states were colored red or blue as results came in.

A very low tech bar chart was on the building -- fabric draped from a scaffold was raised as each candidate gained points, and a very low-tech display of the totals was changed by human hands. It was riveting in a way that glitzy stuff could never match.

People who arrived early got a US map along with a blue and red marker, and folks earnestly colored in their individual maps.

I took my scooter instead of the bike and rode it home (couple of miles) and the feel on the streets was priceless. There was happy yelling, hugs, smiles and conversations with strangers. I was glad I had wheels and could skip the subway.

Pam

[mary9761]

Yay!!! Almost 100% for me (a few local elections didn't go quite as I would have liked), but I'LL TAKE IT. YAHOO!!!!

Of course, my state is one that still hasn't been called (5 hours after poll closing) on the Presidential. Not that it matters

Same here, Indiana has never been a battlefield state in my lifetime memory and has voted a democrat into the white house for the first time since 1964! Indiana wasn't called until after I finally went to bed last night many hours after Obama made his speech. YES WE CAN!

[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.

[Andrea]

We also have a sad anti-gay marriage initiative, which eliminates unmarried couples (gay or straight) from being foster parents. I think it's going to pass, and I'm sad about that.

I was just wondering... how are they going to enforce this? What if you're single (gay or straight) and you adopt a child legally... then start having a relationship with someone WITHOUT being married ()

It seemed like, even though they say "all unmarried couples" that the bill initiative was very focused on gay people.

[Andrea]

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.

I'm really sorry to hear that. So many people that can't stop trying to impose their beliefs on to others. Hopefully we can move forward in the future

[Tuckervill]

I'm sorry, Presto. It's a sad day for foster children in Arkansas, as well, as the bigots passed an amendment preventing single people (read=gay) from serving as foster or adoptive parents. The ballot should have had two choices:

NO
YES, I SIGN UP TO BE A FOSTER PARENT

Karen

[OakLeaf]

((((((((Presto, & all others in that position)))))))

I don't mean to discount by one iota the significance of what happened. It's a devastating loss to myself as an outsider to that struggle both geographically and personally; I can only imagine what it must mean to you.

But: Your soul still says you're married. Nothing the state or hateful voters can do can change that. Your family, I hope, will still say you're married. Your minister, your church, your photographs still say you're married. The State has a great deal of power indeed, but it can't dictate to your soul or your deity.

-Oak, married in our souls, in the eyes of both our families, and before our "higher power," but (by choice in solidarity with those who cannot choose) not in the eyes of our State.