American Pie: Light At The End Of The Tunnel?
...overall, the voting was well conducted, and the outcomes reflected an informed electorate. Justice was done in some contests – the bad guys got theirs, and the bright stars got their chance to show their metal. Probably the greatest fear by voters of all stripes is that the next 4 years will be business as usual...
Columnist John Merchant breaths a sigh of relief now that the American presidential election is over.
So, the presidential election is over, leaving candidates and electorate exhausted. By and large, the polling process went smoothly, other than small incidents of skullduggery, and some administrative glitches that could and should have been avoided in a 21st century, modern democracy.
In Florida, the number of polling stations was reduced, and precincts were consolidated, to comply with population shifts as determined by the census. Though voters were advised by mail, many did not read the announcement, and since the US is a country of people on the move, many did not receive the notification. This resulted in a degree of frustration and anger that could have been avoided.
Some people had waited as much as 6 hours in line, only to be told that they couldn’t vote because they were in the wrong precinct. Once inside the polling station, Floridians were faced with 4 pages of voting options which, if they had not studied the sample copies sent out in the mail, they would have to spend some time reading.
In many precincts, the electronic ballot readers had been reduced to one, resulting in another long wait. Accepting that the most difficult task in an election is getting people to vote, this kind of avoidable chicanery creates even more barriers.
But overall, the voting was well conducted, and the outcomes reflected an informed electorate. Justice was done in some contests – the bad guys got theirs, and the bright stars got their chance to show their metal. Probably the greatest fear by voters of all stripes is that the next 4 years will be business as usual.
As is often the case at the start of a new term, both sides are vowing to be less partisan, and more collegial. Though these good intentions usually pave the way to hell, there is a small optimism that it may not be the case this time around. Some major factors give rise to hope.
The first is that because this new term is Obama’s last, the Republicans are relieved of their need to focus on ensuring he won’t be re-elected. Hopefully they’ll spend their energies more productively. The second is that the Universal Health Act is now law, so other than proposing amendments, this should not soak up opposition energy.
And the third is that although the economy is far from over its ills, there is a buoyancy and optimism that was not present four years ago. Only the instability of the Euro Zone casts a cloud. Apparently if Greece or Spain sneezes, the US catches a cold.
There is also hope that America’s foreign relations will continue on the more restrained path that has been established this past year, in the wake of the chaos and sabre rattling of the last Bush administration.
Hillary Clinton, who has been the tireless backbone of the more sophisticated changes in foreign relations policy, may well step down to prepare for a run at the Presidency in 2016, but if she does, she will leave a more rational and stronger State Department.
Speaking of 2016, the pundits are already talking about possible candidates. Heaven help us!
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