Winners and Losers in this Election....

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In everything there are those who can claim victory and those who must face defeat. True winners know that you aren't always going to win. They take their losses as learning experiences, evaluate what went wrong, what went right, and come up with plans for the future. True losers resent losses, blame other people and rarely learn anything from losing or winning. This election is no different. There are groups of people who can rightfully claim and celebrate victory, there are also groups of people who must accept the defeat. There are also lessons to be learned by and from the groups. So let's get on with it.... Winners! Barack Obama: Rising from unknown to President of the United States in basically half a decade is impressive. He set goals for himself and worked to achieve them. In that, he is a winner who followed the examples of winners who came before him, adapting their methods to his own strengths and weaknesses. Yes, there were others who helped him, as there is with all winners, and true winners are quick to thank and give credit to those who helped. The Democrat National Committee: They ran a great campaign here. They did it so well that the Republicans were left playing second fiddle, reacting instead of leading the way. They chose a candidate who most Democrats could rally around and eagerly support. They were also able to court Republicans who felt disaffected by the RNC. The Incompetent Press: The media chose Obama early on, they promoted him and successfully played interference against any dissent. They pulled their resources to keep voters from learning too much about their candidate, while making it look like they had vetted him at all. They did well as the propaganda arm of the Obama campaign, taking on the role of attack dog so that Obama wouldn't have to get his hands dirty. Well done! Democrats: Democrats took the excitement and energy generated by the Obama campaign and mobilized to make a difference. "Yes We Can" became "Yes We Did" and every Democrat activist who used that energy in legal and ethical "Get out the Vote" campaigns can stand and celebrate their success. The people who believed in Obama showed what it means to be Americans, knowing that through hard work and diligence, success can be achieved. Americans who are Black: It's been a long time coming, and the celebrations are not without reason. I admit that at first, I didn't think it was any big deal, but then I thought about how cool I think it would have been for Romney to have won. Sure, having a Mormon President wouldn't change what it really means to be Mormon, but being a Mormon, I would have been celebrating the first Mormon President, so I do understand why Black people are celebrating now. I just hope that young Americans can look at his example and see that race is not an excuse for not getting what you want out of life. The USA: Every four years we have the opportunity to vote for the people who run for the office of President of the United States. The winner moves into the White House (or stays for another four years) and the incumbent moves out. The transition is bloodless and without violence. Out with the old and in with the new occurs because the people involved honor the US Constitution and our laws. Every change of administration is a revolution without arms. Losers! John McCain: Sen. McCain was forced on most Republicans and never rose to the challenge of bringing the party together. Most of us who voted for him did so more out of a vote against Obama than support for him. He had every opportunity to show his leadership abilities and give us something to believe in, but prefered to preach to the choir and remind us that he's not Obama. He also allowed the Obama campaign to set the message for the election and reacted to it... telling the world that he was willing to follow Obama's lead. McCain's active supporters didn't mobilize or generate excitement for their candidate. It's sad, if they had of McCain might have won inspite of himself. The Republican National Committee: Pretty much everything the Obama campaign was, the RNC wasn't. Instead of uniting the party behind a candidate, they further fragmented the party. Instead of offering a candidate we could get excited or inspired about, they told us that it's somehow our duty to vote Republican no matter what. They mocked and belittled any republicans who questioned them in the least. They live the Ivory Tower Elitist stereotype that people outside the party try to paint us with. They were the best support the Obama campaign ever had. ACORN: After a decade or so of working against free and open elections, ACORN finally began to be exposed for the criminal organization they are. Over 100 of their members are up on charges. Of course, ACORN leadership are throwing them under the bus and denying any knowledge of criminal activity, but the damage is done, and the truth is out. Conservative Republicans: In 2006 many conservatives set out to show the RNC that there is no victory for Republicans without the Conservatives. They stayed home on election day and helped hand control of both houses of congress to the Democrats. The RNC didn't get the message and completely shut the Conservatives out during this election. We were left homeless this election, many of us wondering if we'll ever bother with the Republican party again. Moderates of all parties: Did any moderate win at any level of government this time? McCain was supposed to be the great and shining hero of Moderates. When he announced his candidacy Moderate Democrats said that he was a Republican they could vote for. If this election taught us anything, it is that Moderates do well in Senate, House and other positions, but when it comes to offices where leadership is important, Moderates don't do well at all. Third Parties: I can't remember an election where more people felt disaffected by both major parties. With the internet, the third parties have never had a better opportunity to get their messages out. With the rise of 527 groups, 3rd parties could get their message out even if the incompetent press and the two major parties illegally shut them out of participation in the campaigns. This campaign season should have been the best one yet for 3rd parties, but instead of taking advantage of these plusses, they sat and whined. What could easily have been "The year of the 3rd parties" they remain in obscurity, which is where they belong as long as they keep taking a passive "we're here for anyone looking for us" approach to politics. The USA: I can't believe how many times I heard the line, "I'm voting for Obama, but I hope he really doesn't do..." These are people who seemed to want change, so they voted for Obama, but hoped they wouldn't get the very changes Obama ran on. If Obama gets what he wants, personal freedom, the economy and the US Constitution will suffer. Hopefully, like all other presidents before him, learning the facts that aren't available to everyone will change his mind about a lot of things. But, especially in free societies, we get the government we deserve, so if he lives up to every promise he's made, we can't blame him completely, since we are the ones who paid him to do it to us.