May it be her epoch

I have tears of relief in my eyes. It appears that President Obama has won the election, and in that case, young women like this one have a shot at keeping the rights for which women of my generation have worked all our lives. One of the most frightening aspects of the election is the extreme right-wing position of Republicans on women's issues. There are possibly three supreme court justices retiring in the next four years, and if that happens, they will be replaced by the President elected tonight. Given Republican attacks on women's reproductive rights, women's wages, and women's equality in all areas including education, and given Republican opposition to gay rights, the rights of people of color, and the rights of immigrants, it is terrifying that this election appeared to be so dangerously close.

I hope nothing shocking happens to change the situation before the night is over. There is deep distrust in the USA between Republicans and Democrats, and between both major parties and Progressives--who have no systemic route to make a difference because of the corporate hold on government and public information. This is why the Occupy movement was so promising--it seemed for a while that we might go beyond the two-party system, that we might break through the corporate power structure. Many of us still have hopes for a populist popular movement.

That Romney could have garnered as much support as he did is shocking to me. But for the moment, I am relieved and I'm hopeful that Obama's administration will continue to end war, save the planet, and de-fuse the all-out class warfare that Romney engendered. Standing as I do, far to the left of Obama, I also hope there will be continued energy for the masses of people to make change beyond the parties. For the moment, it appears that the worst possible outcome has been averted.

Edit: Thanks to ppatrick for the correction on "populist."