'Bounded uncertainty'
No matter the result, students can look forward to next election
Cody Kees
Issue date: 11/5/08 Section: Opinion
Today, I hope, America has a new president-elect.
Assuming the polls were true indicators of the election, I bet you are reading this article knowing that America made history and elected its first African-American president.
I also assume the electoral map followed suit, according to the likes of the popular vote, and there is no repeat of 2000.
I said when I took this gig as Traveler columnist that all 10 of the people reading my articles would not be subjected to my thoughts on politics.
So, today, even in the midst of such a huge and historical event, I am going to steer clear of national politics and make the remaining four readers, still following my words, somewhat happy on my choice of content for this post-Election Day article.
Whether Sen. John McCain or the likely winner Sen. Barack Obama is president-elect, how much does it matter?
McCain will see an uphill battle in Congress regarding any proposals, and even if Obama lands the job with support from both houses and a filibuster majority in the Senate, times are too tough for even the smoothest politician to remain popular for the full extent of the four years.
Obama will face the challenges inevitable to a president in our checks and balances system, and his articulate rhetoric will not be enough to sustain an unappeasable America.
And that brings me to my main point. However ticked off you may be about this election, the reality is that the next one is beginning about now. Names are being tossed around, money is being raised and announcements will begin in about two years.
So, take a hiatus, turn on the TV in two years, see all the things the new president has done (or more likely has not done), get ticked off again, and then start rallying behind the new candidate who you think will be able to make changes.
The term "bounded uncertainty" is very appropriate for this article. My layman understanding of the term so popular in the political science department is that, while the future is uncertain, it is, nevertheless, within the boundary of certainty that a new election will come and you will have the chance to right what you may deem as a political wrong, meaning you will have another vote in four years and maybe a chance to make another change in the presidency.
So however saddened you are about the results yesterday, you know the next election will come and the uncertainty you have about the president-elect is all within the boundary of what history tells us lies ahead … another election.
So, Saddened Political Loser, get off the couch and consume tomato juice and aspirin for the hangover following last night's "drink-your-sorrows-away-while-watching-the-returns" party.
Then, turn the TV back on in about a year or so, and find out who your new man (or woman) will be for 2012.
Cody Kees is a columnist for The Arkansas Traveler. His column appears every other Wednesday.
Assuming the polls were true indicators of the election, I bet you are reading this article knowing that America made history and elected its first African-American president.
I also assume the electoral map followed suit, according to the likes of the popular vote, and there is no repeat of 2000.
I said when I took this gig as Traveler columnist that all 10 of the people reading my articles would not be subjected to my thoughts on politics.
So, today, even in the midst of such a huge and historical event, I am going to steer clear of national politics and make the remaining four readers, still following my words, somewhat happy on my choice of content for this post-Election Day article.
Whether Sen. John McCain or the likely winner Sen. Barack Obama is president-elect, how much does it matter?
McCain will see an uphill battle in Congress regarding any proposals, and even if Obama lands the job with support from both houses and a filibuster majority in the Senate, times are too tough for even the smoothest politician to remain popular for the full extent of the four years.
Obama will face the challenges inevitable to a president in our checks and balances system, and his articulate rhetoric will not be enough to sustain an unappeasable America.
And that brings me to my main point. However ticked off you may be about this election, the reality is that the next one is beginning about now. Names are being tossed around, money is being raised and announcements will begin in about two years.
So, take a hiatus, turn on the TV in two years, see all the things the new president has done (or more likely has not done), get ticked off again, and then start rallying behind the new candidate who you think will be able to make changes.
The term "bounded uncertainty" is very appropriate for this article. My layman understanding of the term so popular in the political science department is that, while the future is uncertain, it is, nevertheless, within the boundary of certainty that a new election will come and you will have the chance to right what you may deem as a political wrong, meaning you will have another vote in four years and maybe a chance to make another change in the presidency.
So however saddened you are about the results yesterday, you know the next election will come and the uncertainty you have about the president-elect is all within the boundary of what history tells us lies ahead … another election.
So, Saddened Political Loser, get off the couch and consume tomato juice and aspirin for the hangover following last night's "drink-your-sorrows-away-while-watching-the-returns" party.
Then, turn the TV back on in about a year or so, and find out who your new man (or woman) will be for 2012.
Cody Kees is a columnist for The Arkansas Traveler. His column appears every other Wednesday.
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