Isn’t it amazing what Americans can do when they come together to speak their minds? Over 59 million votes across the nation went to George W. Bush on Election Day, which gives Bush the record for the most popular votes in history. Bush is the first president since his father in 1988 to gain over 50 percent of the national vote. A record number of Americans came to the polls, vindicating Bush from the 2000 election, where he lost the popular vote but won the electoral vote. America has spoken: “Four more years of George W. Bush!” Election night was incredibly tense and exciting. After a long day of poll watching, I was privileged to spend the evening at the Elks Club with the Republican Committee of Chester County. As the states kept turning red, the room filled with anticipation. Then came “Ohio for Bush.” The room erupted with a euphoria I have never experienced in my life.
Considering the exit polls on Election Day, it looked grim for the president in the early hours. Yet, Americans proved those polls completely wrong! Some, like Rush Limbaugh, have gone as far as calling the exit polls fraudulent. Personally, I just think that it was an incident where the polls miscalculated the outcome. Yet, the outcome was decisive and clear. President Bush defeated Sen. Kerry by a clear margin.
Even speculation of a recount in Ohio was put aside, considering that the vote difference was over 150,000, unlike Florida’s difference of 500 votes in 2000. Not only has President Bush reclaimed the White House, but the Republican Party has gained an even greater majority in the Senate and the House. Also, approximately two to five Supreme Court justices are expected to retire, including Chief Justice Rehnquist who has just been treated for cancer. President Bush will have the authority to appoint new justices to those seats. Why was the outcome in favor of President Bush?
I believe there are many reasons, such as President Bush’s leadership in the War on Terror, Iraq and social issues such as gay marriage and abortion. Notably, 11 out of 11 states with the gay marriage referendum voted to define marriage as a union between one man and one woman. Out of the 11 states to do this included Oregon, which is considered a primarily West Coast liberal stronghold. Osama bin Laden’s weekend footage may have also reminded voters that the threat of terrorism is still a major issue, encouraging them to vote for President Bush, a proven leader against terrorism.
What will the Democrats do now? With Kerry’s loss also came the loss of Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, plus many gains for Republicans in both houses of congress. It is certainly time to regroup, and I foresee a change in the Democrats’ party chairman too, who not only led the Democrats through loss in this election, but also in the 2002 elections.
The current trend is not positive for the Democratic Party, but that makes for a clear shot for change and revival. I predict that by the 2008 presidential elections, the democrats will have at least attempted some reforms, and whether or not they work will be a test of time. With a huge Republican majority in Congress, and a possible chance to appoint new Supreme Court justices, what will President Bush do with four more years? There are the campaign promises, like making his tax cuts permanent, medical liability reform, strong homeland security and a powerful war on terrorism. Sure, you can definitely count on all of that.
However, pressing social issues are also plaguing the minds of Americans. With a majority of Congress on his side, President Bush could probably push the marriage amendment through and send it to the states for approval. He could also appoint pro-life judges to weigh in on abortion as well. It’s been a very long time since a Republican president has sat in the White House with a large majority of Congress on his side. Bush certainly does not have to play bipartisan politics.
Since Vice President Cheney has said he will not run for president in 2008, President Bush’s only task now is to solidify himself in history. It will definitely be interesting to see how the next four years shape up. My prediction is four years of growth, prosperity and security for the United States. This truly was the election of our lifetime, and I think it turned out for the best.