It's Finally Over

[Elen Sila]

PRESIDENT OBAMA HAS WON OHIO!

As of 11:15 PM, eastern seaboard time, Barack Obama has won 274 electoral votes, and won reelection to four more years as president of the united states of America.

[Astica]

...just like that? What about the rest of the country :s
EDIT: oh that's right, there's that electoral college system thing. Explained by an American on facebook through the words "the "Founding Fathers" knew better than to put the decision of who's in charge into the hands of the average American mouthbreather, even back then". Thoughts?
Also, he hasn't necessarily won yet, right?

[Elen Sila]

Yes, he has necessarily won.

Also, the electoral college gets a lot of unwarranted hate. It is basicly proportional, and rarely results in a win by someone who hasn't won the popular vote.

[Astica]

I'd still prefer proportional to basically proportional, but then given the amount of fuckwit voters that re-elected John Key last year maybe you guys have the right idea on this one. Congrats, anyhow.

[Astica]

This thread is now about the amount of angry Republicans wanting to move to NZ for reasons as alerted to me via facebook:



https://twitter.com/search?q=if%20Obama%20wins%20new%20zealand&src=typd

Have fun with that.

EDIT: this lead me to what is possibly the call of the election:

I'm predicting Obama will take an early lead tomorrow... Until all the Republicans get off work. #RomneyRyan2012

ZZZZzzzzzzzziiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnngggg.

[Spaced Ape]

I have a Facebook friend who says she wants to move to China because they have better working conditions and pay...

She's an in-home babysitter/homekeeper for her baby daddy's family and she just bought herself a brand-new iPod...

The cognitive dissonance of these people can be astounding.

[HeRetiK]

Guys, thank you so much for not fucking this election day up. Given the global influence of the US you did the whole world a great favor.

[Astica]

Guys, thank you so much for not fucking this election day up. Given the global influence of the US you did the whole world a great favor.

As I understand it the drone strikes would have continued either way

[Elen Sila]

Florida is still not called for Obama or Romney. If Obama wins both Florida and Virginia, he will win the election with 332 electoral votes, which, by the way, is exactly the margin by which I predicted he would win, back in September.



Now, on to the senate races.
There were 10 republican seats up for election, and 23 democratic or independent seats up for election. Three republicans were retiring; one republican was defeated for renomination in the primary; and six democrats and one independent were retiring.

REPUBLICAN SEATS

Jon Kyl (Arizona) – RETIRING
Richard Lugar (Indiana) – DEFEATED IN PRIMARY
Olympia Snowe (Maine) – RETIRING
Scott Brown (Massachusetts)
Roger Wicker (Mississippi)
Dean Heller (Nevada)
Bob Corker (Tennessee)
Kay Bailey Hutchison (Texas) – RETIRING
Orrin Hatch (Utah)
John Barrasso (Wyoming)

DEMOCRATIC AND INDEPENDENT SEATS

Dianne Feinstein (California)
Joe Lieberman (Connecticut) – RETIRING
Tom Carper (Delaware)
Bill Nelson (Florida)
Daniel Akaka (Hawaii) – RETIRING
Ben Cardin (Maryland)
Debbie Stabenow (Michigan)
Amy Klobuchar (Minnesota)
Claire Mccaskill (Missouri)
Jon Tester (Montana)
Ben Nelson (Nebraska) – RETIRING
Bob Menendez (New Jersey)
Jeff Bingaman (New Mexico) – RETIRING
Kirsten Gillibrand (New York)
Kent Conrad (North Dakota) – RETIRING
Sherrod Brown (Ohio)
Bob Casey (Pennsylvania)
Sheldon Whitehouse (Rhode Island)
Bernie Sanders (Vermont)
Jim Webb (Virginia) – RETIRING
Maria Cantwell (Washington)
Joe Manchin (West Virginia)
Herb Kohl (Wisconsin) – RETIRING


Of the three republicans who were retiring, one was succeeded by an independent (Olympia Snowe, by Angus King, in Maine). Otherwise, Jon Kyl was succeeded by Jeff Flake, in Arizona; and Kay Bailey Hutchison was succeeded by Ted Cruz, in Texas. This is a net gain of one seat for the democrats and independents.

The republican who was defeated in the primary (Richard Lugar, in Indiana) was succeeded by a democrat (Joe Donnelly). This is a net gain of one seat for the democrats and independents.

Of the six republicans who were running for reelection, one was defeated by a democrat (Scott Brown, by Elizabeth Warren, in Massachusetts). This is a net gain of one seat for the democrats and independents.

Of the six democrats who were retiring, only one was succeeded by a republican (Ben Nelson, by Deb Fischer, in Nebraska), despite an extraordinarily close race in North Dakota, and close races in Virginia and Wisconsin. Otherwise, Daniel Akaka was succeeded by Mazie Hirono, in Hawaii; Jeff Bingaman was succeeded by Martin Heinrich, in New Mexico; Kent Conrad was succeeded by Heidi Heitkamp (who won by fewer than 3000 votes), in North Dakota; Jim Webb was succeeded by Tim Kaine, in Virginia; and Herb Kohl was succeeded by Tammy Baldwin (the first openly gay woman ever elected to the united states senate), in Wisconsin. This is a net loss of one seat for the democrats and independents.

The independent who was retiring (Joe Lieberman, in Connecticut) was succeeded by a democrat (Chris Murphy).

Of the fifteen democrats who were running for reelection, not a single one was defeated by a republican, despite close races in Florida, Missouri, Montana, and West Virginia.

REPUBLICAN SEATS

Jeff Flake (Arizona)
Roger Wicker (Mississippi)
Deb Fischer (Nebraska)
Dean Heller (Nevada)
Bob Corker (Tennessee)
Ted Cruz (Texas)
Orrin Hatch (Utah)
John Barrasso (Wyoming)

DEMOCRATIC AND INDEPENDENT SEATS

Dianne Feinstein (California)
Chris Murphy (Connecticut)
Tom Carper (Delaware)
Bill Nelson (Florida)
Mazie Hirono (Hawaii)
Joe Donnelly (Indiana)
Angus King (Maine)
Ben Cardin (Maryland)
Elizabeth Warren (Massachusetts)
Debbie Stabenow (Michigan)
Amy Klobuchar (Minnesota)
Claire Mccaskill (Missouri)
Jon Tester (Montana)
Bob Menendez (New Jersey)
Martin Heinrich (New Mexico)
Kirsten Gillibrand (New York)
Heidi Heitkamp (North Dakota)
Sherrod Brown (Ohio)
Bob Casey (Pennsylvania)
Sheldon Whitehouse (Rhode Island)
Bernie Sanders (Vermont)
Tim Kaine (Virginia)
Maria Cantwell (Washington)
Joe Manchin (West Virginia)
Tammy Baldwin (Wisconsin)


Thus, out of the 33 seats which were up for election, there are now 8 controlled by republicans, and 25 controlled by democrats. The democrats have increased their majority in the senate, against all odds, from 53 to 55.

I, for my part, am extraordinarily proud to say that I personally delivered one vote (and enabled a second person to deliver his vote as well) to Heidi Heitkamp, who is now senator-elect from North Dakota, having won by fewer than 3000 votes against her opponent, Rick Berg.

[Spaced Ape]

Guys, thank you so much for not fucking this election day up. Given the global influence of the US you did the whole world a great favor.

As I understand it the drone strikes would have continued either way

...so? I'm in favor of the drone strikes.

[Voly]

This is the only thing I have to say on this topic today:

ANYONE BUT MITT

[Davion Fuxa]

ANYONE BUT MITT

Seems like a lacking soundbite in a near-solidified 2-way race.

[Spaced Ape]

The election is over, I think its time for more unity, not continued bashing on the other guy. He lost, he was gracious about it in his speech, and he asked that his side work together with the other. Its time to move on and look to the future.

[ƒrosty]

Hate is way too much fun for people to give it up just because the object of their contempt is no longer relevant to their lives.

[Elen Sila]

...so? I'm in favor of the drone strikes.

You won't be after you read this article.
http://tinyurl.com/ObamaTerrorDrones

[Spaced Ape]

I read the article and it seems these people are killed when attempting to rescue Taliban members or in one case at a funeral of a leader.

Yes, I don't think it right we're killing civilians. But its a known fact that we are attacking the Taliban in both Afghanistan and Pakistan. It seems these civilians know of the risk and still put themselves in harms way. Its not as if we're carpet bombing entire villages to get one person.

[evilredqueen]

The election is over, I think its time for more unity, not continued bashing on the other guy. He lost, he was gracious about it in his speech, and he asked that his side work together with the other. Its time to move on and look to the future.

Nice thought but the Repubs just won't play nice ..

[Spaced Ape]

I hope they do, but I never said I expect them to.

[Zyn]

The election is over, I think its time for more unity, not continued bashing on the other guy. He lost, he was gracious about it in his speech, and he asked that his side work together with the other. Its time to move on and look to the future.

Nice thought but the Repubs just won't play nice ..

She says, preemptively attacking the party.

[ƒrosty]

Yeah, how are we ever going to stop playing the blame game if those Republicans keep doing it?!

[evilredqueen]

The election is over, I think its time for more unity, not continued bashing on the other guy. He lost, he was gracious about it in his speech, and he asked that his side work together with the other. Its time to move on and look to the future.

Nice thought but the Repubs just won't play nice ..

She says, preemptively attacking the party.

And where have you been the last four years? What makes you think things are going to change?

Are you a Red?

[Zyn]

The election is over, I think its time for more unity, not continued bashing on the other guy. He lost, he was gracious about it in his speech, and he asked that his side work together with the other. Its time to move on and look to the future.

Nice thought but the Repubs just won't play nice ..

She says, preemptively attacking the party.

And where have you been the last four years? What makes you think things are going to change?

Are you a Red?

Against you first point: Why is this even relevant?

Against the other non-point: No. I'm more Democrat than anything, although I'm not sure I can fully identify with either party and don't have the energy to sift through independents to understand my political "place".


Let's make something clear before this devolves: My point has already been made. I have nothing more to add on it. Discussion in another direction I'll accept. I don't hit dead animals, however.

[Voly]

I don't care about politics.

If the country gets too bad I'll just kill myself or emigrate.

I just don't have the energy to care about it anymore.

[evilredqueen]

preemptively attacking the party.

Then I shall have the last word ... works for me.
You answered my second question ... but that first animal is still alive.

** pulls knife out of boot **

That was your quote ... I just had to wonder why anyone .. except a Republican or someome not living in a cave ... could say such a thing.
Then I considered the source.

** blood everywhere **


Voly ... get your act together.

[Voly]

Voly ... get your act together.

Fuck you.