Good Guys won - why don’t I feel so happy?
They won. LGBT won 4 games to none. Akin is out. Mourdock is out. Warren won.
Bachmann… almost.
I did kiss my wife last night and have a moment when I felt the world was a little better for her. It did feel good to know that Obama won and the ideological red tide of Tea Party-ism has ebbed.
However, I’m not getting much satisfaction out of the wingnut tears and hand wringing. My urges to gloat are small and fleeting. Maybe I’m just pessimistic at the moment, but this ‘victory’ seems hollow to me. It seems a major battle won in a very long and challenging war.
The losing opponents offer little in way of contrition, reflection, or acceptance of the reality that they’ve been rebuked. What I’m seeing is the mindset of failed campaigns, lack of outreach, missed messages, and an untimely natural disaster. Maybe a little more $ should have been spent here or there.
I don’t see any thoughts of ‘hey, our ideas suck. Maybe we should come up with new ones.’
I am optimistic. I support Obama and hope he builds on the accomplishments overcoming the significant challenges faced in his first term, as challenging as almost any other in history. I don’t want to be a downer to all Obama supporters who are ecstatic he won a second term.
But the Ideology Industry has developed it’s market and continues to evolve. With Citizens United still in force I expect Facebook to explode next election with even more aggressive ideological ads funded by wealthy unknown partisans invested in outdated modes of thinking. After watching Clinton Derangement, then Bush Derangement, and now Obama Derangement develop and putrify, I’m worried new depths of hate infused ignorance and disinformation will find new avenues to reach wider audiences.
This time, Obama won despite it. For that I’m thankful. But I’m already thinking of the next election cycle