Reflections

I'll have more reflections on this past election another day. For now, I'd like to discuss the appeal for a post-election pledge by blogger Waldo Jaquith. Jaquith said:

Tuesday night, election gods willing, we'll get the results of the day's votes in Virginia's races. Here are my personal rules of conduct pertaining to those results: Gloating is acceptable, but only for a few days, and the less the better.
A margin of less than 10 points is neither a "mandate" nor a "landslide."
The expiry of the gloating period coincides with polite, respectful treatment towards the winners of the opposite party as is befitting their office. Were Jerry Kilgore to win the governor's seat, I would call him "Governor Kilgore" once sworn in, not "Governor Killmore," "Jerry Boy," or "Spanky the Banana Boy." Given a non-landslide margin, the winning candidate did not do everything right; the a losing candidate did not do everything wrong. Their campaigns must not be described in such terms. I may add more rules to this as I mull them over. The Virginia political blogosphere will be a happier place this week if others consider behaving similarly.

http://waldo.jaquith.org/blog/2005/11/election-pledge/#comments

First, I didn't take Waldo's pledge. However, given that Jerry Kilgore gave a gracious concession speech and that Bob McDonnell was a gentleman about the recount, I will give the benefit of the doubt to both of them, for now. For now, though I may discuss Democrats' response to Jerry Kilgore's campaign in all it's Scott-Howellian glory, I'll focus mostly on what Democrats did well or ineffectively to rebut the attacks from the other side. However misguided many of us believe they are,Kilgore and his supporters spent considerable time and effort. And I don't wish to "kick him while he's down." So, though I'm still smarting a bit from the awful ads and divisive tactics these two used, it's "bygones."

McDonnell's election night statement, that Creigh Deeds has a right to ask for a recount, is a refreshing departure from the rancorous, bully tactics following another famous recount. And calls for "finality," the law be damned, in a national election didn't serve our nation then and wouldn't serve our Commonwealth now. I will follow the recount and the election complaints filed in this race, however. If the recount shows that Deeds lost, my hope is that McDonnell does his job with all Virginians in mind. And if he does, I will salute him. If not, Virginians must speak out. I believe that it's a duty of citizens to reflect on whether or not our leapublic in the public's best interest.

Regarding, Bill Boling's "shot across the bow" to Tim Kaine in Boling's victory remarks, I have not so much benefit of the doubt stored up. For now, though, I'll keep my own counsel.

I pledge not to verbally attack individual citizens or bloggers. I don't believe that's the right thing to do. So, I won't criticize them, "analyze" them, ridicule them, or nitpick them, as some of them do to me. I also expect that civil comments to this blog. I respect other citizens right to differ. When I write about the actions of GOP, I refer to GOP party leaders, statewide (General Assembly, AG, LG), Congress, the Bush Administration, and pundits. I do not speak of rank-and-file voters who call themselves Republican, but only of those officials who, by their policies, directly affect our daily lives.

Elected officials (whether state or federal,) who are not good stewards of our nation's resources or Constitutionally-driven purpose, are fair game, though I realize this is most assuredly not a game. In a real sense, governing is just too important to take lightly. This is not to say, humor has no place. Where would we all be without it?

And sometimes, when discussing statewide or national issues, I'll be hard-hitting, in a figurative sense, only. So, even as ubiquitous eividence of administration lies emerges, I'll discuss that evidence. I'll discuss what the evidence shows about "what they knew" and "when they knew it" about false WMD claims and other fictions. On other matters, I'll discuss and rebut the Bush administration, GOP Senators, Congresspersons and talking heads, especially those trying to limit free speech and civil liberties of Americans. Sometimes I'll discuss long-term Democratic strategy, reactions to Republican moves, and even Democratic blunders and miscalculations. But whatever the miscalculations, I believe strongly that the Democratic Party is most clearly focused on the issues that affect me, and most of my fellow citizens. And I'll say that too.

Whether you are a Democrat, Republican or Independent, there was something for almost everyone in the election results. For now, we'll all move forward. The best to all of you. We are all in this together. And except for those going AWOL and abandoning the system, you all (whether Democrat, Independent, or Republican) care deeply about our country as I do. It's hard to argue with that. PS My campaign signs and decals are already down. :-) Peace.

http://waldo.jaquith.org/blog/2005/11/election-pledge/#comments