Salt The Ground

It's Election Day.

I voted early this morning. I had to work today, so my window was small-if I didn't get out by about 10 of 9, I would have had to leave and would not be able to return. Our district moved its polling place, so once I found it, it went relatively swiftly. There was a line, but not an outrageous one.

It is almost 11pm, and according to news reports, it is an Obama tidal wave. I am pleased at this fact, as you may have gathered if you have read more than 3 or four paragraphs here.

I am confident he's up to the job, but I'm just as confident that it's a huge job-an enormous job. If anyone can do it, he can.

I am proud, seriously proud, that America was able to do this today. As Keith Olbermann said tonight, this is a choice we made together-which makes it different from other achievements African Americans have made in our country's history. We said no to hateful, divisive campaigning, and yes to hope and growth and progress.

Part of me hopes to salt the ground- destroy the Republican party, splinter it and drive it into the wilderness for 50 years. There is a temptation to do an end zone dance, mocking the end of an era. The triumph of the politics of people over the politics of organized selfishness.

It's not that simple. I think the Republican Party has taken a punch tonight, and hopefully the sensible members of that party can retake it from its loony fringe. There are Republican ideas that make sense-cost effective government, an end to handouts without reason, tax cutting to stimulate growth, welfare reform. Hopefully those ideas can come forth without the right wing baggage that used to come with them.

But for now, as hard as it is for me to believe it, Barack Obama is the President Elect.

God Bless America.