Leftovers

I was lucky enough to be out of the country the last couple of weeks before the election.  I
didn't plan it that way on purpose, but I was exceedingly happy to avoid the ads, the dumbass
comments, just the general mess.  Also I missed the hurricane.  When I got back, I had enough
other stuff going on that, though it was hard to avoid any time I was near a TV, in general I
didn't notice much about the last few days.  Here are a few thoughts I had then and just
afterward.

Republicans said Obama's campaign was just personal attacks on Romney, not discussing issues.
There was certainly an element of that, though of course you had it from both sides, and there
were plenty of issues brought up by Democrats.  And I'm reminded of a couple of lines from
Black Adder: "We at the Adder Party are determined to fight this election on issues, not
personality."  "Why is that?" "Because our candidate doesn't have a personality."  Romney's
personality is ill-defined, as are his stands on issues.  Republicans may indeed have defined
the issues- and so much the worse for them.  Their positions on many issues are indefensible.

Romney's campaign at one point asked "Are you better off than 4 years ago?" To which the
obvious answer, for most individuals and for the country as a whole, is YES!  There is still
unemployment, but it is lower than it was.  The economy is gradually improving.  We wish things
were better, but we're clearly better off than we were in the middle of that mess.  So, good
job coming up with a slogan that helped Obama...

They also used the slogan "Believe in America."  I believe in America.  I just don't believe in
discrimination, in trying to control people's bedrooms, in lying.  Though I am somewhat
conservative on some issues, I am disgusted with conservatives in general.  Their use of fear,
of distortion, of lies to win pushes me away instead of drawing me in.  And their overall
platform seems to be "Back to the '50s!"

I hope we can make more progress during the next four years.  I hope both sides will
compromise, and do what's best for the country.  I saw Obama leaning over (too far) to work
with Republicans in this term; I hope they have the sense to lean a bit this time, and help
make things better instead of just doing whatever they can to block everything.