Wake UP!: I’m Declaring the Official End of Gloating

Chardon December 5, 2008 No Comments

Wake UP!: Progressive Punditry and Action Alerts for the Apathetic Advocate

I’m Declaring the Official End of Gloating

It was one month and one day ago that we witnessed the resounding defeat of Republicanism in the U.S. of A (at least for the next 2-4 years). We, the progressives, responded to 8 years of minority status with an overwhelming victory, and damn did we enjoy it.

I don’t know about you, but after I watched Obama’s victory speech, I got laid. Turns out I wasn’t alone…Newsweek ran an article (Change You Can Conceive In; Nov. 14, 2008) about the possibility that ‘euphoric fans’ were sparking a baby boom, which means there’s going to be a ton of youngsters who won’t be able to think about Obama’s presidency without being grossed out by the thought of their parents having sex.

However, not every household was so joyful. Many politically mixed couples didn’t speak for days, and some still haven’t made up. I’ve got one friend whose wife still refuses to have sex with him because she said he wasn’t “sensitive to her pain” on election night. Apparently, he got tipsy and danced around the living room while she commiserated with Fox News.

Our government isn’t fairing any better. There are always raw nerves, hurt feelings, and bruised egos following an election. However, we’re not talking about a squeaker this year… no, this was a mandate. Not one of those “The American people have given President Bush a mandate, even though it’s only by .01%,” but an ACTUAL mandate. We spanked ‘em, and they’re understandably upset. And we haven’t been shy about rubbing it in their faces, either.

My Mama always told me not to gloat, and whenever I didn’t listen it always came back to bite me in the ass. You may or may not have realized it, but recently, our gloating has come back to bite us in the ass as well.

Saxby Chambliss beat Jim Web in Georgia’s Senate runoff by winning 57% of the vote. While it’s true that Republicans usually fair better during runoff elections, I’m convinced this win was a direct result of liberal gloating. Here’s why: Like it or not, we are a center-right nation. We fear God, we love guns, we hate taxes and we’re evenly split on abortion and gay marriage (as LGBT advocates know all too well!) The mandate we gave the Democrats on November 4th was the result of a lot of right-leaning folks voting left in a desperate bid for change. Now that the smoke has settled, they’ve realized what they’ve done… they’ve given the Dems a majority in the Congress AND the White House. They’re having buyer’s remorse, and our constant pontificating about a “filibuster proof” majority is not helping matters.

So Chambliss got a freebie. I’m going to make a prediction, and say that Norm Coleman will too (which pains me to say, because I’d LOVE to have Stuart Smalley in the Senate!) Moderates are afraid of the Democrats having a rubber stamp, and I don’t blame them. Even President-Elect Obama realizes that having too many people who are ideologically similar in the same room making decisions is a bad thing. It leads to a disturbing phenomenon called “Group-Think,” where insulated people tend to mindlessly follow one another like a school of fish.

Group-Think is the reason that a filibuster proof Senate is not a good idea. It would also take away from our democratic process, because it would effectively silence dissent. As much as I detest most conservative principles, we need them to provide a balance in our government, and to keep liberals on their game. Silencing dissent is bad for democracy, and it perpetuates this “revenge” mentality that divides us even more.

Excessive gloating only makes us look like sore winners, and hurts our credibility. That’s why I’m officially declaring the end of election gloating, effective TODAY. We’ve had a month of Obama lovin’ to enjoy, and a month of gloating to alleviate some of our pent up frustration for 8 years of misery, so it’s time to get back to business.

In these trying times (economy in the crapper, boys and girls dying in the Middle East, a rejuvenated Russia, lower standing in the global community, etc.) we have to become more unified. So stop rubbing conservative noses in their own mess, because it’s time to kiss and make up.

And, for the love of God, if you or someone you know is withholding sex because of the election, stop! If a liberal has been giving you love during the past 8 years, then they’ve more than proven they’re a ‘uniter, not a divider!’ They’re willing to ‘reach across the aisle!’ They certainly know how to ‘bend over backwards’ to…okay, okay, sorry about that. I’m done.

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About Chardon Moore:
Chardon Moore is a political junkie, LGBT ally, and the webmistress of LiberalMartyr.com. She’s been a human and civil rights activist for over a decade, as well as working in broadcast media, academia, and state government. She now lives in Raleigh with her longtime boyfriend and young daughter.

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Chardon

Chardon Moore is a political junkie, LGBT ally, and the webmistress of LiberalMartyr.com. She’s been a human and civil rights activist for over a decade, as well as working in broadcast media, academia, and state government.