I thought this was a really interesting way of visualizing the election results. I'd seen other versions elsewhere, but I thought this one was the most compelling.
November 2004 Archives
It's been a sad 24 hours.
Sad that my county's future is being guided by fundamentalist, evangelical Christians. These are the folks that literally believe the earth was created in seven days.
Sad that our country's system of checks and balances is about to be destroyed. President? GOP. Congress? GOP. Supreme Court? Soon to be conservative for decades. The brakes are gone. Regardless of party, this is not a healthy place for our country. There's no moderation. 51-48 split...and no reason to compromise.
Sad that when given the choice, our country stands firmly on the side of bigotry.
Sad that a President who has failed on almost all fronts can manage to win based on social devisiveness and the fear of terrorism.
Sad that the youth of Amercia, seemingly so energized, once again failed to significantly vote.
Sad that the Democratic Party once again put forth a stiff, unpersonable, intelligent candidate that the electorate couldn't connect with.
Sad that free-thinking, rational, non-ideologues are the clear minority in America. There's no silent majority waiting to appear. The Religious Right isn't the lunatic fringe. They're the damn rug.
Yet, despite all that, I still have hope. The progressive movement in America has been energized like I haven't seen in my lifetime, and while overpowered, is finally taking an example from what the conservatives have accomplished. They're finally realizing that framing the issues is more important than having the facts to back up your cause.
If you have a progressive bone in your body (whether its been broken by yesterday's results or not), read the transcript of Barack Obama's inspiring speech from the Democratic National Convention. Read Lakoff's book Don't think of an Elephant. Visit DailyKos, MyDD, and TheLeftCoaster. And don't give up hope. Frame the issues you care about. Make people understand that progressivism is about fairness, opportunity, kindness, and responsibility.
Now more than ever.
