Two points. The first: Minorities.
The recent CBS/Times poll has some interesting internals. The least reported/commented on are women voters, and it got me thinking. Obama has a 16 point lead with women voters. Wow! My internal response to this was a response to Cleavon Little in Blazing Saddles: Here are the White Women. I was wrong. Obama only has a two point lead among white women according to that poll. What that means is that minorities, ALL minorties, make up that difference.
It got me to thinking (something I'm prone to do), that we keep hearing over and over about the young vote and how Obama has energized them. Very true, I work on a college campus and this is definitely the case. But the one overlooked factor, I think implicitly suggested in these polls, is the minority vote.
I think all minorities in America, not just African American, but Asian, Disability, European, GBLT, Hispanic, American Indian, etc. voters will vote in overwhelming numbers for Obama. And as the above poll numbers with women suggest, it is a very influential demographic.
Second. The I-35 bridge in Minneapolis was completed this week: THREE WEEKS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE AND UNDER BUDGET. I cannont stress how wonderful this news is. Simply put, it is a clear example of all that America has been and all that it still is. In an age of corruption and graft and cronyism, there are still some segments of our society that cling firmly to the American ideal.
I can remember when I was somewhere between 10-12 yrs. old (this was in the mid-80's) and my parents took thier children on a trip to the West (I lived in MI). One of the stops we took was at the Hoover Dam. I remember the tour guide stating that it was built on schedule and under budget. I remember thinking at that young age that this could never happen in America today. It boggled my mind that someone wouldn't abuse the government trust and steal money. It happened again this year and it boggled my mind. All of those workers who worked 24/7 on that bridge made me proud to be an American. Hopefully they make you proud too.
It got me to thinking (something I'm prone to do), that we keep hearing over and over about the young vote and how Obama has energized them. Very true, I work on a college campus and this is definitely the case. But the one overlooked factor, I think implicitly suggested in these polls, is the minority vote.
I think all minorities in America, not just African American, but Asian, Disability, European, GBLT, Hispanic, American Indian, etc. voters will vote in overwhelming numbers for Obama. And as the above poll numbers with women suggest, it is a very influential demographic.
Second. The I-35 bridge in Minneapolis was completed this week: THREE WEEKS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE AND UNDER BUDGET. I cannont stress how wonderful this news is. Simply put, it is a clear example of all that America has been and all that it still is. In an age of corruption and graft and cronyism, there are still some segments of our society that cling firmly to the American ideal.
I can remember when I was somewhere between 10-12 yrs. old (this was in the mid-80's) and my parents took thier children on a trip to the West (I lived in MI). One of the stops we took was at the Hoover Dam. I remember the tour guide stating that it was built on schedule and under budget. I remember thinking at that young age that this could never happen in America today. It boggled my mind that someone wouldn't abuse the government trust and steal money. It happened again this year and it boggled my mind. All of those workers who worked 24/7 on that bridge made me proud to be an American. Hopefully they make you proud too.
