The Election (with commentary)

You get to hear from me this time! I'm charged with writing about the election since Natasha wants to keep her posts politically neutral (but she agrees with me on everything anyway, so, alas).

So there was this election...I think something important happened, but who knows?

It was an historic election, as the pundits never tire of saying. First black President, a sweep of Congress by the Democrats, all good stuff for us blue voters.

More importantly, we got to vote for some pretty cool ballot initiatives. Washington, with our help, became the 2nd state in the Union (after Oregon) to legalize a right to death - doctors can now prescribe patients with less than 6 months to live an overdose on pain meds so they can end their lives with dignity. It felt so good to finally vote for something important. I always knew voting in Idaho that my voice would be drowned out by the deafening mob of angry Mormon Republicans. It's such a refreshing thing.

Not such good news elsewhere in the country, however. Proposition 8, a state constitutional ban on gay marriage, passed. The strange thing was that it passed with a huge majority amongst minority voters, which is sadly ironic. It's so sad that these people claim to follow Jesus and can't even abide by his most basic teachings - to walk a mile in another's shoes, for example.

Also, in Minnesota Al Franken is behind a few hundred votes in the recount for his Senate bid. If you don't know who he is, think back to Saturday Night Live - he's the Stuart Smalley character ("I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and gosh darnit, people like me"). He's written some excellent, funny books in recent years, although a run for Senate was perhaps out of his league. The pundits I trust most are still calling it a tossup.

NaNoWriMo is going swimmingly for Natasha and I - we fell behind a day or two, but caught up with a last minute blitz on Saturday. Four hours of writing in the posh community room in our building. We might post some pictures of it at some point, because it's a very nice amenity to have.

The perpetual rain that Seattle is famous for has begun, and stayed with us. I never realized how inadequate my clothing is for this reality. I might have to shell out some duckets for some waterproof clothing.