With 2% of precincts reporting, we declare the winner to be....

I'd like to take a test the way that the media runs elections. I'd answer the first 4 questions then hand in the paper. When the teacher asked the reasoning, I'd point out that I got all 4 right and then declare that I got an A on the test. Looking at the networks declaring election winners, I see nothing that makes sense. With 9% of California reporting, Obama is declared to have won the state. With 20% of Idaho reporting, McCain is declared to have won the state. With 0 precincts reporting in Hawaii, Obama is declared to have won the state. Yet with 94% of Georgia reporting and McCain ahead by 325,000 votes, it's "too close to call". I just don't like the electoral college; never have, and I don't foresee a time that I will. Looking at the 338 to 139 electoral votes, you'd figure it was a landslide victory for Obama, not a win by just over 1% of the total number of people who live in America (of course, that's very early, as no state has tallied all votes yet). I guess the electoral college can be compared to the BCS. Every other level of football -- from Pop Warner to the NFL -- uses a playoff system, but the BCS handpicks two teams to play for the national championship, regardless of every other team's success. Every other thing Americans vote on -- senators, representatives, mayors, referendums, amendments, and so on -- goes by popular vote. There is no electoral college to vote on proposals or gubernatorial races. Why have one for the presidency? I think Democrats could get behind that because electoral colleges cost Gore the election. I think Republicans can get behind it because Republicans believe in every man being responsible for himself and not letting someone else speak for him.

With Obama in the White House and the Democrats picking up seats in congress, here's hoping we aren't a socialist nation by 2012.

On an election-related note, how obvious was it that the Rupublican party has lost all credibility as the conservative party when they chose McCain to run for President?

From George Washington, who knew a thing or two about running a nation: "Democratical States must always feel before they can see: it is this that makes their Governments slow, but the people will be right at last. "

Useless fact: Democrat-Republican used to be one single party, which focused on international relations, states' rights, and a literal interpretation of the US Constitution. Kind of ironic, since the Democrat party has read so many additional interpretations to the Constitution and prefers federal ruling over US citizens.