"Water and amber are high on the air."

[hermionesviolin]

It feels a little like '04 redux 'cause I'm around the same sorts of people (and in some ways literally the same people, thanks to the magic of LJ), but it's a completely different feel, of course.  (And wow, who would have thought the Senate would come down to Virginia, and Montana?)

*

"With 91 percent of the state's precincts reporting, Question 1 was going down to defeat by a ratio of 56 percent to 44 percent."
-Boston Globe

Somewhat relatedly, I enjoy this quote from a post about 2am bar licenses: "When I first got to Boston, I wondered why it closed down so early. Now I know: undergrads abuse the responsibility, and prematurely cranky old guys like me (seriously, I'm not even thirty) are jerks about it."

*

First Dem governor since Dukakis (1983-1991) -- despite Massachusetts being such an obviously Blue state.  Will be interested to see how this plays out.

Eric came by this morning and said, "It's a good day to be a Democrat."  He said that he actually doesn't like Patrick much but that Healey is "a heinous bitch."

I enjoy very much the MA map that shows you how each city/town voted.

Town I grew up in (9/9 precincts reporting):
42% - Healey (R)
8% - Mihos (I)
48% - Patrick (D)
2% - Ross (G)

City I now live in (21/21 precincts reporting):
18% - Healey (R)
5% - Mihos (I)
73% - Patrick (D)
3% - Ross (G)

City I went to college in -- where obviously a lot of the atmosphere is provided by students who will be voting absentee around the country (14/14 precincts reporting):
15% - Healey (R)
4% - Mihos (I)
79% - Patrick (D)
3% - Ross (G)

Edit: The Herald has a table which gives you raw data for the various MA races as well as Question 1. /edit

*

I read Joe Fitzergald's column today and wanted to cry.

The man really does have a good heart, and I respect and admire him a lot.  I was planning to write a letter telling him so along with responses to some of his recent columns, including the tension of putting same-sex marriage up for a vote (and later, my problem with some of what he said on MA Question 1), but I was fairly calm and detached.

Then I read today's.  He criticized Marian Walsh for saying, "I will not support a ballot question that would take away the civil rights of some of my constitutents," and I do understand the concern around making laws contra to public opinion since we like to think we live in a democracy (technically, it's a republic) and obviously it's important to me that the will of the people actually be reflected (and I tend toward advocating education above legislation -- changing the will of the people rather than forcing mandates on them, 'cause forcing things against people's wills does not end well) and I want to get into all the nuances of the issue, but I keep coming back to "But it is a civil rights issue!"

Browsing the Herald online further did not help (so I made myself stop), though it wasn't all bad.

I hadn't realized why this was being brought up again (figured it was just 'cause teh gayz are a mobilizing issue), but hedy posted about the Constitutional Convention.

I wanted to call Terry and say, "If there were a vote to ban gay marriage in Massachusetts, would you vote for it?"  I think to comfort myself because he'll totally say offensive shit, but it's the without thinking like unto Eric (though Eric is probably far more aware and far more socially liberal) and I think he'd be totally laissez faire on legislation on this issue.  I did end up calling him (smug bastard was all "You never call just to say hi"), in part because I wanted to find out if he was working over the Thanksgiving break 'cause I'm still figuring out what I'm doing over that break.  I didn't actually ask him, 'cause we never talk politics and I had calmed down enough that I wasn't feeling that needy, but we talked for over an hour, which never happens.  Best illiterate fake boyfriend ever.  Oh, my life would be so much funner if I didn't have sexual ethics.

And now I've gotta do like all my Ulysses reading 'cause I'm gonna be at Smith for the three day weekend.

Comments

[scrollgirl.livejournal.com]

I've been thinking about you! Besides honorh, who is a Republican, you're the only non-Democrat on my flist, that I can think of off the top of my head. (There may be another person but I can't remember who.)

Are you still a Republican? Because I heard you edging more toward libertarianism, or did I get that wrong?

[hermionesviolin.livejournal.com]

:) I've never identified as a Republican. If I have to pick a political affiliation I pick Libertarian.

I''m glad to be thought of, though.

she who will not be boxed

[onwingsofeagles.livejournal.com]

She who will not be nick-named, and who thinks being labeled "bi" is too rigid ... I'm thinking she's never really been a Republican. If ever there was an Independent, she'd be it (with a strong inclination to vote Libertarian).