A New Day in America

Wow, what a week it’s been!  So many winners and losers, but let’s get right to the point.  BARACK OBAMA is our President!  After so much work, phonebanking, cavassing, talking to friends and family about the vote, registering new voters, America finally did the right thing and turned the page on the status quo.

I watched the returns at home with my family, in front of the TV with my laptop plugged in next to me to get more information as needed.  Flipping between CNN and MSNBC, we saw the “hologram” and the “virutal room” toys deployed by those networks.  It was very exciting to watch, especially as the scenes from Grant Park in Chicago started coming in.  Hundreds of thousands of people, all dancing, laughing and then crying for joy when the announcement came: Barack Obama will be our nation’s 44th President.

It was like a miracle.

Then the world reaction came in, and there was so much to celebrate!  After all we have been through in the last 8 years, American has finally started back on the road to redepmtion in the eyes of the world.  I’m so glad to see it happen.

Victories for Democrats in places like Virginia and North Carolina.  Increases in our Senate and House majorities.  Jeff Merkley won his US Senate race in Oregon, after a long wait for the final counts.  He’s going to do a great job for Oregonians.  We have new Democrats in office for Secretary of State- Kate Brown and Treasurer- Ben Westlund, not to mention Labor Comissioner Brad Avakian.  Our local races were mostly successful, with a few disappointments in Tualatin and Wilsonville house races.  The best part was that every single one of Bill Sizemore’s measures failed at the ballot box yet again.  This man and his backers have got to learn that Oregonians are on to their scam, and they’re wasting their money up here.

Once again, Oregon’s Vote-By-Mail system was hailed as state of the art.  After seeing people having to stand in line for 8-10 hours to cast their vote, how can we not see this as a poll tax?  The system needs to be fixed, and it’s not the only one. I was sad to see Heather Ryan lose her bid for US House seat KY-01.  She was a great candidate, and I hope she stays in KY politics.  They need more rabblerousers down there!

I’m hoping healthcare will stay at the top of Obama’s to-do list once he’s in office.  There are people out there dying and in pain for want of healthcare right now.  Children going without necessary medicines and treatment.  Families bankrupted by the greedy insurance lobby who just want more, more, more.  It has to stop now.

So much to do for the new President and his staff.  I’m watching the news for all the transition info and cabinet appointments, just as eagerly as I watched for election news last month.  Obama’s staff is already planning a big overhaul of the White House web site, which will hopefully provide more opportunities for Americans to interact effectively with their government.

Today, the Obamas went to the White House to meet with the Bushes for a tour and private meetings.  Everyone I talk to is so glad to see a young family in the White House again.  There will be kids everywhere, especially when Joe Biden brings his family over for a visit!  I know some of you might find this shallow, but I love following Michelle Obama’s fashions, and what the girls are wearing too.  I’m looking forward to every bit of detail we can get about Michelle’s plans for decorating the Residence in the White House, and the fashions for January’s inaugural parties.  I want to see Malia and Sasha settle in comfortably in their new home, and start school in DC with the same high standards they’ve been put to all their lives in Chicago.

There’s going to be so much on their plates in crafting a whole new kind of government.  I think we’ll be seeing things from an Obama Administration in ways we never thought possible before.

It is a new day in America, and I’m so happy to see it!