Election Wrap-Up One Week Later

I am sorry blog, I neglected you too long.

But can you blame me? I haven't felt that burned out since I watched a 24-hour marathon of Dawson's Creek.

There are a few things I want to respond to and post in here, so this will be sort of a mix bag of blog goodies. Oh, and I may have to neglect this blog for another week or so because the official class project ends today and I think my professor needs to grade this as is.

Don't worry, though, I will post during winter break and up until someone pays me lots of money for my brilliant insights. That's right. I will sell out and never look back.

First things first, last time I posted was early morning after the election concluded. I ferociously tapped at the keyboard trying to get my election story into the Athens News so I could sleep. Here is a link to that story.

And now I will respond to my story

Things got a little weird after Barack Obama won the election. Everyone I encountered seemed happy, they just didn't know how to react.

The two reactions to transpire were tears of joy and run wild and scream like you have a banana in your pants and a monkey chasing you.

As I wrote in that last post, an Obama victory was one for the youth because so many felt a sense of duty for his victory.

My article states that even students who did not volunteer for the campaign still felt that Obama is the president elect because of their vote.

But the turnout numbers were not as overwhelming as I would have hoped. Even though the youth numbers went up for the third election in a row, 52 percent just doesn't cut it.

According to that Rock the Vote Blog, the 18-29 demographic accounted for 23 million votes. But, there are 44 million in that demographic.

What the fuck dudes?

Who didn't pull their weight? If the number doesn't continue to go at least expand from their in coming elections (and I don't just mean in 2012), then nothing is going to change.

It doesn't matter that the high voter turnout predictions for everyone didn't happen.

The point of this blog is and always will be to push a political agenda for the millennials. But that can't be done without votes.

I will now climb down my soap box and address two other things. But first, check out these cool maps of how the election would have turned out if only a certain demographic had voted. And check out this Racist Belt Theory.

Now onto Rob's insanely long, but totally appreciated comment

If you scroll down to the very bottom of this page, there's a list for followers. Rob would be my only one (this is when I nudge you on the arm and give you a little wink).

And as a loyal follower, Rob did two things. First, HE COMMENTED! Second, he completely disagreed with the man he was following.

Let me make one thing clear. I voted for John McCain knowing there were two flawed candidates. Because I lean right on economic policy (though the Republican party now leans not so right these days), I chose the most conservative candidate in hopes that he would choose the right people to solve the economic crisis.

Rob wrote that he is happy to have an intellectual in the White House, one of the reasons he voted for Obama. I don't know how much smarter Obama is than anyother politician because most seem to have that Ivy League pedigree, but Obama does sound smart and look smart.

I think Presdient George W. Bush has taken a lot of unwarranted criticism (though he did earn his fair share). But it would be difficult to argue that President Bush has come off as the brightest bulb in the chandelier.

So I will agree with Rob there. The other area where I agree with Rob is his fourth point where he states "I think the Republicans need their ass kicked."

McCain was maybe the worst candidate out of the primary pool. My explanation for the low voter turnouts, specificaly the low Republican turnout like in Ohio, is a result of a bad candidate.

Even though the numbers did not meet my expectiations, a lot of sources are writing about how the youth helped Obama get elected. So maybe with that ass kicking, the Republicans will have to get a youth friendly candidate who's not Sarah Palin.

Caution, this next link jumps into the Delorian to talk about 2012. Do not click here if you aren't ready. Although I haven't read enough on him yet, I think I like the idea of Gov. Bobby Jindal running with my only concern being a pro-life agenda (For the record, I am pro-choice because I think the issue is too religious for the government to be meddling with. If put in a position for a personal decision on abortion, I would never do it. And that's all I have to say about that).

Okay, and now to end the epic wrap-up post.

An email from Ohio University College Republican President Mellissa Short answering my pre-election question, what if Obama becomes president?

You pose an interesting question. Having worked personally on the McCain
campaign no doubt I will feel let down and a sense of disappointment after
working hard for a candidate that didn't win. Realistically the only option I'll
have is to express my views and concerns to my Congressman and hope they can
represent my views in Washington. Here on campus I'll undoubtedly have to deal
with a gloating population of Obama supporters, a handful of them being my
friends. But I think it will be interesting to see what happens when things
aren't magically fixed when Obama gets into office and his own supporters turn
on him, if that were to happen that is. Personally I don't see a Republican or
Democrat solution to the problems our country is facing today, I just see a
solution that will be even slower to present itself once all levels of the
Federal government are left leaning. I hope I answered your question, feel free
to edit and paraphrase any of my above comments. I'm looking forward to the
response of an Obama supporter will be.

I was glad that I didn't get a fearful response as some Republicans gave prior to last Tuesday. But the main point I want to drive home pulled from Mellisa's response is this.

Whether you voted for Obama or oppose him, we as citizens (and me as a journalist) need to hold politicians responsible for their actions. As voters, if an Obama administration screws things up, then don't vote for him when that time comes around. If he invokes the kind of change he promised, then give him another four years.

That applies to all elected officials. That will be the roll of this blogs in weeks and months to come, so stay tuned.