A balance of power.

It's good. Inspite of my desire otherwise, the country is fairly evenly split between liberal and conservative ideaologies. That split should be reflected in the makeup of our goverment, for a true representation of the will of the people. I would prefer a lean towards progressive goverment and I think this election has given us that. If the Senate races still pending go the way they appear to be headed, it will be a solidly liberal administration for the next two years. Even better! But, well, for now, I suppose it's as it should be.

More good stuff....

Nancy Pelosi - this is a big one guys - the first EVER female speaker of the house is from one of the most liberal districts in the country. Long over due. Seriously, never before has a woman been so close to the presidency. If she performs well, her leadership will go a long way towards convincing Americans a woman can actually hold the office.

AARP - for a heavy media campaign urging voters not to vote for candidates without knowing their stand on the issues. The commecial was SO annoying, but message is a good one, so cheers to them.

Social Conservatives Wake Up? - Have they come to realize that they are being told what they want to hear by politicians who are capitalizing on their hyper-conservative views to get them to the polls without a true belief in what social cons stand for?

Minimum Wage - I am happy to say 4 states voted to raise their minimum wage rates, continuing a trend among states of taking matters into their own hands on an issue our conservative federal goverment refuses to take on.

Freedom of speech is fine as long as you don't do it in public.

Shut Up and Sing is a documentary opening this Friday in wide release. Of course, I don't expect it to come to my neck of the woods, but I do hope I get the chance to see it.

It's release has me thinking again about the entire situation and the disgusting display of hatred towards someone who *gasp* had an opinion. It is amazing to me the limited opinions people have on this subject. People I've talked with either hate them and demonize them for speaking out against a president and a war (which now, three years later, it's perfectly acceptable to criticize); or they think the Chicks should have known better because their audience is predominanly convervative and therefore they should have just kept their mouths shut.

Known better???? Seriously???

People really think that the issue is weather or not people buy their records? The Dixie Chicks don't seem to think so. Nor do they seem to care and good for them! Money or popularity or success pales in comparison to what the American public seems to be asking them to give up, their fundamental right to speak out and have an opinion.

Not only is it our right to speak out against our own goverment, it's our responsibility to do so when lives are at stake and we see this goverment is acting irresponsibly. That is precisely why the 1st ammendment to our Constitution was written.

And look what we've done with it.

The point here is not that it's wrong to disgree or disapprove of what they said or even that what they said may have merit, but it is wrong to systematically work to take them down, to send them death threats, to essentially work to prevent them or anyone else who might speak out with a dissenting opinon from feeling free to do so.

Twelve little words - and look what they did in return.

Natalie Maines may be ashamed the President is from Texas, but I am ashamed to share the moniker of "American cititizen" with people who actually have the gall to say "Freedom of speech is fine as long as you don't do it in public."