It has arrived . . .

Today is an historic day.  This will be the third presidential election that I'm able to vote in  This is only the second time that I've been completely and utterly enamored by a candidate for any office.  I've gotten behind other candidates before.  But only Bill Bradley's campaign in the 2000 Democratic primaries affected me enough to get me involved. 

That was before Barack Obama.  I know that many people (probably about half the country) will disagree with what I say, but I'm gonna go ahead and say it anyway.  I believe in him more than I've ever believed in a candidate before.  I've been waiting with anticipation for this moment for a long time.  I knew four years and three months ago that he was something special, after watching his keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention.  And 21 months ago, he announced his candidacy, I knew.  It was obvious back in 2004 that he was the future of the party.  He has the ability to inspire, but also the plans and proposals to back himself up. 

My endorsement of Barack Obama aside, this blog entry is about more than that.  It's about where we are as a nation.  I have my bachelors degree in history . . . it often leads me to think about things in a different way than many.  This is the stuff we're gonna be talking to our kids about in ten, fifteen years.  This is the stuff I'll be teaching about thirty years from now.  We're feeling the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.  We're not in a new Great Depression of course, Unemployment was nearly 20%, and we're not even close to that number right now.  But the fact is, we're feeling the worst we've been feelign in a long time.

George Bush's approval ratiings are at 21%.  For a sitting president to only have 1 in 5 American's approve of his job performance is shameful.  He wanted to build a legacy, he wanted to be bigger and better than his dad.  History is not going to look kindly on the 43rd president, who presided over the worst attack on American soil in history as well as leaving the next president with two wars, an economy in ruin, and the credibility of the nation internationally at an all-time low. 

Then again, this is what happens.  This is why the Democrats have a chance at having a HUGE majority in the House and Senate as well as perhaps, maybe having their party in the White House again.  People tend to blame the party in power for the bad stuff . . . and this time it is fitting. 

I've never seen such an inspired electorate.  There is an electricity in the air when people start discussing this election.  188 million people registered to vote . . . that's a record number.  Turnout today may be record-setting as well.  People have waited in line for 8 hours or more just waiting to cast their vote.  Everyone wants their say in the future of the country. 

This is a once-in-a-generation moment, though.  I've only been alive for seven presidential elections, two of which (1984 and 1988), I'm too young to remember.  1992 was important, 2000 was historic for it's own reasons, but I've not lived through anything like this election.  I've only read about John F. Kennedy, but I feel like I can equate 1960 to the 2008 election.  Things were starting to change in the country, and he was the leader who inspiried the youth and tried to unite the nation.  Sound familiar? 

The election is in our hands now, of course.  A little primer for those who don't know how the process works. 

Each state votes a candidate, but they're actually voting for electors.  State by state, whichever candidate wins the popular vote of that state wins the all of the electors of the state (except for Maine and Nebraska, which give two two the state winner and then the others go to the voting district winner).  These electors pledge to vote for the candidate when the Electoral College meets.  They always do, since they are chosen by the party.  So if Obama wins a state, his electors go to the college, where if McCain wins, his do. 

So, each state gets an elector for each seat in Congress (Senators plus representatives)  Therefore, larger states have more say than smaller states.  There are 538 electors (435 representatives, 100 senators, 3 for Washington DC).  In order to win the election, one candiate must win the majorty of these votes, 270.  So, it's tough, but a canidate can win the national vote, but lose the election, as Al Gore did in 2000. 

So each hour from 7pm on, more states will close their polling.  And we'll start to color in our maps, Red and Blue.  And in the end, one candidate will have 270 or more votes.  And that person will be the President Elect for 56 days until he is inaugurated as the 44th president of the United States of America.

So go out and vote.  Even if you disagree with my politics, believe in your right to vote.  It's your voice.  It's what makes this country so great.

:-)

-Anthony