Election Reflection

So the House is now in Democrat control and the Senate is still up for grabs. Washington is certainly going to look different, consisting of people who ran on the issues of ethics and Iraq. I'm glad to see that D.C. is getting a little facelift, but I hope it's more than just a cosmetic makeover. I want to see real change in how the war is being conducted, especially from the Republicans who began distancing themselves from Bush.

But I remain a skeptic. If the new Congress doesn't deliver on their promises, the Bush administration will take advantage of it. Bush will declare Iraq a big mess and a failure, and then blame the Democrats for the quagmire. In winning last night, the Dems have painted themselves into a corner, so they better have plenty of turpentine with them. Not only should they do everything they can to end this war and bring our troops home, but also encourage and fund creative ways to lessen our dependence on foreign oil. There's been a recent push for coal, but that's just another fossil fuel. We need to find more efficient ways to harness the sun and the wind for the sake of the environment and the Middle East. But all of this remains to be seen, and I will remain skeptical until it's done! I hope my opinion that it's just going to be business as usual will be proven wrong. I won't mind eating crow on this one.

We also need to do everything we can to make all Middle Eastern nations our allies, no matter what kind of government they have in place. I hope we can get beyond political theories and recognize that we are dealing with real people who have real fears and real concerns. We have to stop pushing our weight around the world and sit and listen to what world leaders have to say. And don't just listen to the words-- listen to the person speaking the words. Listen deeply. I think we have the resources to make friends and live in peace with all people.