What country do I live in?

Seriously, I am dumbfounded right now. We all know that election night is unpredictable, but tonight has shattered many so many of my perceptions about politics and about the country that I can’t process it all.

I’m going to call it a night and get some sleep. Hopefully tomorrow I’ll be able to write a lot more clearly about some of these ideas. But right now, I have a couple key points to at least bring up:

• Why were the exit polls wrong? Not just inaccurate, but systematically wrong. This is a serious issue.
• What happened to young voters? There was not a political analyst in the country who didn’t believe that the youth vote would be high this year. Are young people just that hypocritical?
• Why can no one find data on provisional balloting in Ohio from 2000? I don’t believe that a Kerry victory is impossible, but somebody somewhere has to have some damn good evidence to make me believe that Kerry has a significant chance there, and they’re not sharing it.
• How do Democrats recover from this dramatic failure across the country? Not simply in the popular presidential vote, but in Congressional elections. Must we become a pro-life, anti-gay, pro-gun party? Can we ever escape the tax and spend label? Must the government become insolvent? Is going centrist the answer, or does embracing liberal values hold the key? How have we been out-triangulated, and is there a realistic way to end the trend of Republican political domination in this country?
• I have lost all faith in the electronic markets. Just before the first polls closed, they were trending over 75-25 for Kerry. How can we consider them a reliable indicator when they’re subject to such swings?
• Will I be able to find a job when I graduate? Should I be taking advantage of my guaranteed residency in England?
• John Kerry said today that America will unite and come together no matter the result. There is not a snowball’s chance in hell that will happen in the next four years.
• I am fearful for this country.

Expect lots more tomorrow. I have a lot to sleep on. Goodnight.

Posted on November 3rd, 2004 by Lee
Filed under: Uncategorized