There’s a lot to reflect and say about last night’s election. The re-election of President Barack Obama brought enthusiastic cheers from all corners of the country. But one should be cautious and not misread those cheers. They weren’t the cheers of 2008 where there was literally dancing in the streets as history was made and folks were left hopeful.
Last night what we heard were cheers of relief. It was relief that came from millions of people having to endure he humiliation of chaos at the polls , where many wound up standing for up 6 or 7 hours or were aggressively questioned by Tea Party backed True the Vote poll watchers who suspected their eligibility, and a range other widespread voter suppression efforts.
Last night the cheers were being relieved of having to deal with Neandrathrolic behavior from sitting lawmakers who felt that there was ‘legitimate rape‘ and that women should not only not be allowed to have abortions, but shouldn’t have access to birth control
Last night we heard cheers of relief, because folks were fearful of having what little safety nets were left to be immediate dismantled or repealed on the day those seeking power took office…
Like it or not, Obama won last night’s election because of widespread politics of fear..not hope. Many who voted for him, did so with lots of dissatisfaction and disappointment on an array of policies the President championed or did not champion, but what they perceived was coming down the pipe was so frightening folks quickly got in line and pulled the lever for the President..
It was clear with Mitt Romney that there was a 47% of the population that needed to be ousted. He and many of his supporters felt like many of us were ‘leeches’ and no longer needed to be seen as fellow human beings… The mean-spirited racially charged policies being proposed and brought before the floor in Congress, sent a strong message to many, that there was a helluva a lot of white folks who were not playing around and were going all out to roll back anything and everything that had progressed in the past 50 years. That frightened people and Obama was a beneficiary.
Last night Mitt Romney had a voting base that consisted of 89% white people. That xenophobic angry base and how they see the world is best personified with the remarks of Bill O’Reilly and his Fox News cohorts. Its personified with the nasty tweets sent out by singer Ted Nugent where he refered to Obama supporters as whores and welfare cheats. Its personified by the angry tweets from Donald Trump who said the election was sham and a travesty and America must fight to stop what had just happened.. (an Obama win)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZZt3jPDvNQ
Only time will tell if what we experienced was some grand exercise of Good Cop Bad Cop with the end game of getting everyone to reinvest into a system that has constantly failed people. But for now many are happy that they pushed back on something they felt would be irreversibly catastrophic. By voting and re-electing Barack Obama many who are part of a growing demographic of folks who feel they’re constantly marginalized felt like they were standing up and pushing back on the type of attitude expressed in the O’reilly video..
Unfortunately, it’ll take more than just voting. More push back is needed. It ranges from deading citizens united which allowed unlimited money to come into politics to having comprehensive election reform that restricts deceptive practices and voter suppression tactics. Close to 5 Billion dollars was spent for this past election..
It’s gonna require push back to stop the relentless attempts by corporate giants to own and privatize everything from our drinking water to FEMA which is what Mitt Romney proposed. It’s gonna require us to push back and demand economic and social justice..
All the forces that worried folks are still here, most likely plotting and scheming on how to better advance their cause. Bain Capitol and uncaring companies like it are still around and doing business as usual. In fact that might be vengeful and economically spurn their workers because of the win.
The forces behind banning ethnic studies books in Arizona have not left. Those who wish to public education and privatize public universities are back at work gearing up for the next round of tuition hikes. Police are still gunning down Black people every 36 hours..The people who obstructed Obama and demonstrated racial hostility are still in Congress and the Senate.
The policies that Obama embraced or didn’t embrace are still in front of us..How will we get him to match the words he uttered in his speech last night that left many feeling re-charged? How will we become partners in reshaping America so that beneficial for all vs being disposable tools who are only tapped when its election time? In short there’s lots more work to do and hopefully all of us are up to the challenge.
written by Davey D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddx8t6zGWxA
This is a thoughtful and great piece. Thanks!
This fight is a long way from over.
Great piece for these wheetees around legal lawsuits, whoose were voted indeed! As next a greater inter_view with the two daught’s of the first all day pres of color on 21st January, the Martin Luther King-Day in the USA. My big respect to tackle as next the trillion deficits from outer space.
Salaam!
Bill is right on target with his response. Stop acting like us dems don’t have entitlements. Who doesn’t? Thats what politics is about right, Vote for the party that will do things to better your everyday life right?
Its both.. Hopes and Fears. I am sure of it.. (4)
That vid of Bill lookin so miserable is a classic. After all the venom that guy has put out over the years, he deserves what he gets, although I have liked watching the O Reilly Factor. For a laugh. It got to the point where if I took him seriously, I’d want to smash my TV but if I just sat back an took it eazy, it was quite comical. More later…
Hopes & Fears . . . I think it depends on where you are. I know for me, it’s a relief, Romney didn’t even know Syria & Iran weren’t neighbors, how could that have lead a country??? SMH!! 6
This was well written. The president gave a powerful speech. – 3
Good point about cops and Africans DD. Remember this everyone, those cops gunnin down Africans work for the same government Obama works for.
You said it, Davey D. “Relief” was spelled n-o-t-R-o-m-n-e-y-R-y-a-n, although I have to say, The Prez seemed relaxed and serious as he spoke about real progress–and if we listen closely, he is making statements of a very progressive nature. Still, the office of President has never led a progressive, human-rights-focused movement, and may never be able to. That’s why we have to Occupy his second term, play offense, articulate a sound policy agenda, and as FDR coached the labor movement to do, “get out there and make [him] do it.” We’re lucky to have you and Hard Knock helping lead the way. See you on the marches in Oakland!
4 more years 1
I am so happy President Obama has been re-elected!
I have to say that I am appalled at how blatant racist statements like “the white establishment is now the minority” do not come under fire by the rest of world. I noticed he made the establishment statement 2x…the second time near the end of the video, he just flat out said white people are now the minority…LOL we knew that decades ago….minorities just never had the right person to join together to support….
hopes i think 11
2 termzzz 18
I don’t think it was about fear, there was some hope from all crosses of the country, mitt Romney did not seem to have any concerns about the average american it would have been back to the bush way of governing. I think the right person won the election – 8
Also I think the white man has come to the realize that minorities have a spoken and we can no longer be ignored – 8
Nuff said… #DatzHott (2)
everybody haten n moves winners keep makin go obama 1
The posts usually land in my inbox looking like this one (no issue here, just sending it for comparison).
Tha Crew thang is back on the run! http://britcore.radio.de – with some narrat_Ions of France ‘group identitaire’…mum likkkers….stay on the roads of wis_sm…
the best man for the job won….it is funny to watch the guys on FOX go insane….they are not to be taken seriously but their ignorance is quite sad to see…….
He keeps saying the people who voted for Obama want “things”. What he is really saying is they want welfare and handouts. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. If he had any sense he would know that the states with the most welfare receipients and are white, are the red states that voted for Romney. Ironic isn’t it? He also said it’s no longer a traditional United States. Traditional to who? White people that’s who. His whole speech is about white people, as if they are the only ones who count in America. What about how we have always felt having one racist white president after the other. The way we felt doesn’t matter. I will never ever ever understand white people.
Barack Obama won by a small difference of individual votes. This demonstrates dissatisfaction with his rule of almost half of the American people. I’m hoping, however, for Obama to take the reins of the economy, because U.S. growth produces positive effects in Brazil and much of the world.
Thank you,
Dedetizadora
http://www.ddribeira.com.br