So last night I did my usual election night routine and watched the returns come in. Bouncing back and forth between several news networks and keeping an eye on the Internet. I would say that Boston.com had the best coverage with interactive maps so you could see how your community voted on each ballot line. Very interesting.
Some were winners and some losers and that is the name of the game. This was an important election, more so then any other mid-term election. Massachusetts politics continues to confuse me. All 10 Congressional seats went to Democrats but in the two Massachusetts House districts near me, but democrats were beaten, one by only 2 votes. Let that be a lesson on the whole Get the Vote out thing by the way. Republicans picked up some seats in the House and maybe they will start to become a force for change on Beacon Hill. I am also proud to say that my home town of Quincy will be sending it’s first Asian American to the State House. I was also happy to see Nicki Haley in South Carolina win election as governor, the second Indian American to win high office. I was also pleased to see the large number of young people elected, I do believe our future is bright.
I have written before that our country is bigger than one person or party. We all need to work together and support each other more so now in the bad times, and we need to urge our leaders to put their egos behind them and get the job done, we need to you to get the job done, we put you in office to get the job done. I will say this, I hope you have learned from this election that if you do not produce, or do things that “We the People” don’t like you will be one of those looking for work. Get to work and fix this mess! You may not have created it but you HAVE to fix it.
In the end the House went to the Republicans and the Senate stayed with the Democrats, now it is time to put it all behind and work together. The incoming Speaker of the House Representative John Boehner of Ohio said last night that he hopes the President has heard the people and will adjust his agenda accordingly. He continued that if he does this we will work with him, I hope he does. The mid term elections of Bill Clinton’s first term saw similar results and he modified his agenda and won re-election to a second term and the country moved forward. If the President digs in his heals “We the People” will suffer. Mr. President you cannot always get what you want, but if you put your ego aside and work with people you will accomplish much and maybe pull us up. We can only hope.
The hard work now begins. I congratulate those who won and I also congratulate those who lost for running. I know what it takes to put yourself forward, it is not easy and it takes time away from family and other things so thank you to all who ran you should all be proud of what you have done. The Democrats swept all 10 Congressional Districts here in Massachusetts but the opposition made them work for it. I would say stay involved and keep making your voice heard.
I will continue to pray for our leaders and that they will listen more and talk less. We need the government to work, and work together. This could be a great two years or a really bad two years, but it will get worse before it gets better.
God Bless America!
