The big story tonight, honestly I think, are the ballot initiatives. Here’s a partial list (note, I’m ignoring some really shitty ones, and the ones I know nothing about whatsoever, but…)
- Colorado ended slavery in prisons
- Florida added a constitutional amendment enfranchising felons
- Maryland got same-day voter registration
- Massachussetts got gender identity protection
- Michigan got straight-ticket voting, automatic voter registration, same-day voter registration, and no-excuse absentee ballots as well as independent redistricting!
- Missouri is getting $12 minimum wage by 2023 (currently it’s $7.85)
- Nebraska expanded Medicaid
- Oregon refused to ban public money for abortion
Then there’s taking the House, coming to a near miss in Texas Senate (get Beto more funding and have him take another shot in 2020, he’d do more good challenging for Senate again than running for President and losing the primary early), some state houses and senates, some governorships (even if not as many as we’d like)…
Over all, though it doesn’t FEEL like it because the big name races didn’t go great and the Senate got worse, this WAS a good night.
Caveat: these are all preliminary, but that’s what the numbers seem to show right now
I want to add one in my state: Washington votes to require all Law Enforcement to be trained in first aid, mental illnesses, and de-escalation techniques. They will also be required to administer first aid when needed and prove they attempted to de-escalate a situation. This absolutely will save lives.
That’s great! It didn’t have any results when I posted, but I am also here in Washington and was watching it.
Forget ‘’the floor is lava”, it’s time for “the floor is sentient and know’s what you’ve done”
the floor creaks under the weight of your sins
However, here is some very good news.
The Democrats won back the House, gained subpoena power, and can now serve as an actual check on 45. This is very very good.
So even if it wasn’t the “blue wave” a lot of people were hoping for, I want you to remember that the GOP no longer will hold as much power as they did. Lots of women were voted into office, LGBT+ candidates were voted into office, more POC were voted into office, two more Muslim women were voted into office, Florida voted to restore voting rights to over one million felons who have completed their terms of sentence, and Massachusetts voted to protect transgender rights. I know there was more but this is what stood out to me.
And right after I finished writing that I learned the GOP supermajority in NC is over and our Governor’s veto powers can now be sustained. And the Dems now hold a 5-2 majority on the state supreme court which means something might actually get done about our horrific gerrymandering and I totally just started crying. I think my anxiety just dropped about sixty pegs.
Despite the gerrymandering and very blatant voter suppression (i see you, Kemp), we did take steps in the right direction today. So take some deep breaths, take the next few days to yourself and get re-centered, and then keep going. Lean on your friends, treat yourself to something nice, come back with a vengeance. We’re in for a long fight.
