Opinion: Quit Gloating And Whining
Even though it’s only three days after the presidential election of 2012 and a certain amount of gloating on the part of President Barack Obama supporters and a certain amount of whining is expected by Mitt Romney’s supporters, it’s been extreme and needs to stop.
Some of the Obama supporters are as if they are pushing the Romney supporters to start rioting – as the Obama supporters threatened they would if the president lost. Some of the Romney supporters are whining to the extent that they must feel that whining is going to change the election’s results. Both stances are incredibly wrong in thinking there are going to be any changes since 10:00 PM CT on Tuesday night when CBS announced that President Obama was reelected – and all of the other networks quickly followed with their announcements.
It’s Obama in the White House until 2016, God willing. God willing is tacked on the end, of course, because there are some that think due process regarding the Libya attacks will get Obama impeached in due time – but that’s another story.
I have a tendency to follow most of the name-political shows and which allows me to hear political views from both sides – as I strongly believe one who has the audacity to write about politics should. It is in this vast array of opinioned pundits’ broadcasts accompanied by the opinionated comments of the broadcasts’ listeners and viewers that gives the entire story concerning the gloating and whining.
Actually, it’s apparent more whining is going on in the television and radio media while the gloating is more evident on the Internet’s social media. Perhaps aural venting is more conducive to expressing anger about the election results while writing the irritating jabs and digs aimed at the loser’s supporters online is the best platform to get their dirty work done.
The Obama supporters’ “we showed you” attitude isn’t any more appropriate than the Romney supporters’ expression of sincere hate and disgust for the Obama supporters. At the end of the day, we are all going to have to settle down and move forward anyway. Notice, I did not say “come together and move forward” because we found out after the 2008 election, the country did not “come together” and probably won’t “come together” again. The divisiveness is getting beyond the point of “repair” in this country. However, no presidential election’s results have ever resulted in the end of the country, obviously, and this one won’t either. We will just move on as we did after the 2008 election – extremely polarized.
There needs to be a reasonable level of agree-to-disagree in Washington, D.C., too. Some of the politicians are being too vocal too fast considering the fact that the election was only three days ago. Harry Reid is in front of the cameras saying “we” need to do this, that, and the other thing – together. John Boehner is going public with his assertion that the Republican House is ready to work with Obama and his Democratic senate. We’ve heard it all before from these two – and, by now, we know when they’re speaking empty words.
Truth be told, there is absolutely no logic in thinking an election half-way through an eight-year presidency – which didn’t change the shape of the United States House of Representatives or the United States Senate – will change anything at all. It won’t.
We had an election and absolutely nothing that matters has changed. Nothing!
So everyone can just quit gloating about the Obama victory and whining about the Romney loss. And, the politicians who are trying to say and convince Americans that this is a “new beginning” can just save their breath. Nobody believes these politicians more now than they did a week ago before the election. Nobody is encouraged by these hot-air politicians than they have been in the past four years. Again, nothing has changed. Nothing!
For America, after this extremely costly and polarizing election, it’s obviously going to be four more years of the same in this country – or, as they say, business as usual. It’s what the slim majority asked for – and it’s what we’ve all got. Let’s just cohabitate as best we can – one way or another – with that reality. Again, I stress – not a damn thing has changed. Nothing!
About Scott Paulson
Scott Paulson writes political commentary for Examiner.com and teaches English at a community college in the Chicago area. The views and opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of CBS Local.
