The return of the 2008 election day mixed feelings.

[Amimnoch]

I recall my feelings on the night of and day after election day 2008.

A feeling of new hope. Bush was HISTORY, President Elect Obama was on his way, all of the phone banking, canvassing, and donating til it hurt had paid off.
However, as a gay male in a long term relationship with the love of my life, another shining beacon off in the distance was put out, Prop 8 had failed. The euphoric pleasure of a great Democratic sweep, and the ushering in of a man I admired, and held great progressive hopes for was coming to pass at the same time as equality was once again placed just out of reach.

I'm a resident of Texas, so really, Prop 8 held no great personal benefit, but if it had passed, it would have meant sooo much symbolically for those of us who reside in areas of conservative hell.

Election day of 2008 was a roller-coaster of great triumph and great disappointment combined.


Now for yesterday. Seeing DADT pass cloture. My heart could have exploded as I watched the final tally pop up on my screen. I danced in the street. This time, the great passing was something that I could personally take pride in. As some would say here.. "I finally got my pony". Just like with prop 8, it really doesn't affect me directly, but it is a great step forward to being acknowledged as an equal citizen within my own country.

THEN,

The dream act failed to make the same hurdle. And I watched the faces of the students, and people who were SOOOO close to realizing the same acknowledgment as I just had.. and it broke my heart. The dream act may be temporarily defeated, but really, we all need to put the same focus and energy into getting these beautiful young people who ARE citizens of the United States, even if the government is too ignorant to acknowledge it quite yet, their right to citizenship. This is the only country many of them know. Regardless of what their parents may have done, they do NOT deserve to be punished.

[BrklynLiberal]

1. The repukes will never totally capitulate. They will continue to hold hostages.

The Dream Act will be another tool to be used to get something else they want...at a later date.

[vaberella]

3. We won't get the Dream Act until Obama's second term.

However, one thing is for sure...some of the Repubs now did come through for us.

[vaberella]

2. Most of all. We have to put in some bloody HOPE.

I recognize for many people that they feel that their dreams have been dashed, that they've been kicked into the ground. I can respect that. Shit, I'm a Black woman. However, even though I'm not religious (well not any longer), there is one thing that I have to admit that has sustained me. I have hope. I supported candidate and President Obama for pushing that message and that is what I maintain. I've had my faith in him falter a bit. However, I do see the President as sincere, caring and doing the best he can in the shittiest situation in existence. He's doing what he can now and he needs not only our unrelenting support but our hope as well. Because seriously, many people called him a homophobe, disregarded him, saw his moves as unlikely, saying that he lied to the American people. In the end on so many counts he's really come through for us over all. He's had to make the tough decisions that have gotten him shit from both sides of the aisle. However, from here on out---I may not agree with everything he says or does (and I'm definitely one of the loyalists), but there is one thing for sure. I will always support him.

[Amimnoch]

7. We're much in the same boat.

Some disappointment, but maintaining a lot of pride in the president, and recognizing the numerous good accomplishments along with the ones that have mixed success, and the few that he totally missed the ball on.

[JustAnotherGen]

4. I'm thrilled that DADT is dead!

And I see the point on the Dream Act. . . But I'd also like to see a resurrection of the Fair Pay Act. Those women if the Dream Act passes? It's not worth that much since they won't be making parity salaries. Ditto gay marriage which we DO need - I hope the door is open. But a lesbian couple will make less than their gay male counterparts.

Fair Pay Act next!

[Clio the Leo]

5. Yesterday was an example that we CAN get Congress to listen to us...

.... on issues that are popular with the majority of Americans. DADT passed in large part because advocates refused to give up .... oh if we'd only done the same thing last fall with the tax cuts. Obama cant do it all on his own.

[ProSense]

6. Yesterday was an anxious day

The DREAM Act failed cloture before DADT. That put everyone on edge, especially because it failed by the exact number of votes as Democratic Senators who voted against it.

Cloture on DADT was actually a relief after that horrible vote.

[RichGirl]

8. We ask so much of President Obama.

All he asks of us is to be patient.

[alcibiades_mystery]

9. The DREAM Act failed to make cloture *before* DADT cloture was voted on

Your chronology is a little wacky, which is weird, since this happened yesterday.

:hi:

OK, OK, poetic license...