10 LESSONS LEARNED FOLLOWING THE ELECTIONS OF 2012

After this close, mesmerizing, exasperating election season, I have to admit that I am going to miss it.  I am going to miss the constant conversation – even the arguing and the bickering.  I am going to miss that collective feeling; the inspiring speeches; the gaffes; the debates…as a lover of politics, this is what I live for.  Granted, I constantly follow politics.  I cannot help but feel more excited when I notice others are as well.  I am going to keep this short, and speak further on the subject later (I work quite early in the morning) but my father wrote something today that made me chuckle.  I have much I would like to add, but I am finding my eyes are growing more heavy.  Enjoy!

10 LESSONS LEARNED FOLLOWING THE ELECTIONS OF 2012

1. Angry, disgruntled, old white dudes do not control federal elections anymore. (Young women and Latinos do.)  And they cannot stand it.
2. Barack Obama resembles former 49er great Jerry Rice in at least one respect: he only runs as fast as he has to.  Compare the first debate to the following two!
3. Every male senatorial or congressional candidate that felt compelled to concern himself with women's reproductive rights got his ass handed to him – as they should have.  Why should a man have any say in what a woman does with her body?  How many men are raped?  Very few are, and even fewer report it.  How many men get pregnant?  Absolutely zero.  (You were right Mr. Akin; 'women do have a way of shutting that whole thing down', they vote you out of office!)
4. White evangelicals (81% of which supported Romney) don't have a problem with "Mormonism as a cult" as long as the candidate has an "R" behind his name.  Even Billy Graham's endorsement couldn't help.  I have no problem with any sect of any religion, but Mormonism seemed to be a massive issue in campaigns and primaries passed…anything to beat the black [Protestant] guy.
5. The "pundits" on Fox are wrong 100% of the time. Now, I realize Hannity, Krauthammer, Ducey, et al (Beck and Limbaugh too) couldn't possibly believe all that horseshit they feed their "pigeons" but still....Romney in a landslide?  Really?  Nice Call!  It follows their logic of lying so much it becomes the truth.  Conversely, Nate Silver on 538 is the best prognosticator/pollster in the Western World. He was right about damn near every race – poor guy was demonized throughout the campaign season…for being right!
6. The millions upon millions of dollars right wing PACs spent on Republican candidates ($400 million spent by Karl Rove alone) couldn't buy them love. (Mr. Edelstein, wouldn't you like to have your $100 million back?). Maybe we WERE overly concerned with the Supreme Court Decision on Citizens United.  The people have spoken.  Thankfully the money cannot and will not.
7. When State officials try and suppress your vote (hello Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania), you get determined and stand in line for up to 9 hours in 38 degree weather (in one case) just to let 'em know you can! Hey Governor Scott, how do like them apples?
8. That we are lucky to live in a state (California) that has enough progressive voters on the Coast to pass Proposition 30 and defeat Proposition 32. Now the schools will be able to continue with music and sports programming, class size will decrease and fee hikes at Fresno State won't come about - even thought the denizens of the Central Valley voted overwhelmingly to defeat it!
9. That advertising dollars or presidential campaign visits will never again come to California (or any solid blue or red state) as long as we don't have a "Battle Ground" designation.
10. That Ohio should never be that important.  Further proof that the electoral college system is warped and outdated.