And we can all move past the horrors of the past two years of campaigning, thank god.
More to the point, we have chosen a new president. Granted, it’s not the guy I voted for, but hey, that’s life. Congratulations to Senator Obama, I hope you govern wisely and well. I expect I’ll spend at least the next four years in the opposition – but hey, Democrats have been in the opposition for the last eight years, and it didn’t kill them. I think I’ll enjoy it. So, without further adieu, I present “Five Reasons to be Happy the Guy I Didn’t Vote for Won”:
1. 1. The next time someone starts talking about the innate structural racism of American society, I will be able to just go out to a newsstand and point to a picture somewhere on the front page and say “O RLY?” This makes me happy because a) it really is cool and b) it will finally shut up all those annoying people who talk about the innate racism of Americans. And if they keep talking about it, I will use said newspaper to hit them in the face. Seriously, this should make Ward Connerly very, very happy.
2. 2. Nancy Pelosi will finally have to stop whining about those evil House Republicans. She’s got a majority in the House and she still can’t get anything done, but with a Democrat in the White House, at least she won’t be able to blame it on the veto.
3. 3. As an economist, I look forward to any new administration – especially one which talks about the New Deal approvingly. I, too, hope to do as well as Amity Schaels.
4. 4. I think being in the loyal opposition will be quite fun. Schadenfreude is a very satisfying emotion, don’t let anyone tell you differently. For example, next time somone says “political money is bad”, I can point to our president as an example – although really, has that ever been in doubt? I never liked McCain-Feingold, and I think Obama’s fundraising is proof that people vote with their dollars. Why restrict that?
5. On a more serious note, Barack Obama can’t be as bad as Jimmy Carter. No one could be as bad as Jimmy Carter…
Anyway, enjoy the rest of the night, guys. I can’t party because I can’t drink – but what the hell. I’ll get the seniors to buy me a beer…
EDIT: I feel I should make a note of this, since I didn’t, and it’s important. This is the 44th time America has changed government peacefully. It’s a record that most of the world can’t boast of – so enjoy, guys. America truly is a great country.
EDIT 2: OK, yes, I forgot 1860. Sue me, it’s still a great record.
elenathehun 
The Fort Sumter bombardment didn’t begin until Lincoln had been in office for a few months, so we can even generously claim 1860.
Obama could be as bad as Jimmy Carter, who, paradoxically, probably did more for the USA than any other politician in the past 40 years. So, in a way, Obama could be as good as Jimmy Carter.
One more good thing about Tuesday: while Obama did get elected, McCain didn’t get elected. If McCain won, the GOP would be neutralized as a check and balance on Congress. In the minority, they’d be obligated to go along with any RINO President, no matter what he did, and I’m sure I wouldn’t like plenty of what McCain would do.
So now we can breathe a sigh of relief. I will not have to try to defend a particular action of President Bush, while explaining to some rabid nutcase that I am not defending everything he has ever done or said. Nor will I have to explain why I actually like Dick Cheney, and that no, I don’t think he’s the antichrist.
Better yet, I can just criticize anything the government does, without any acknowledgment of nuances, tradeoffs, or whatever. If Florida is invaded by Trinidad and Tobago, and Obama sends troops, he’s a warmonger. If he doesn’t, he’s anti-American. If the troops don’t achieve instant victory and Trinidad and Tobago don’t become as rich, stable and peaceful as Luxembourg overnight, then he’s a bumbling idiot. In fact, he’s always a bumbling idiot, except that he is simultaneously the mastermind of the most elaborate group of conspirators in the history of the world.
I think you get the picture.:-)
This should be fun.
Well, I admit, it’s nice to be in the opposition. I really hope he’s not like Jimmy Carter – it’s been 30 years, and Iran is still a problem – but being able to mock the many people I know suffering from BDS…well, that is funny.
Sad, but funny.