History books and graduate students

[Diane R]

Okay. So it isn't the top of the newscast, or even the middle or the bottom. Maybe it isn't going to be the focus of anyone on MSNBC hyperventilating 24/7 about the demise of democracy because of this 'irregular' election. Or, ranting every time george bush comes on the screen that he is once again serving as president, in spite of suspicious circumstances.

Today's historical event in Congress was...historical. The hearings today gave a lot of validity to the investigation of ...ahem, 'irregularities' in the election. Because of this, there are going to be paragraphs in history books. Graduate students will sit around reading archives of DU in the future, looking for hints about the people who started the unraveling of election fraud. Law professors will assign research to determine what role the courts played in perpetuating the fraud.

Today's news is not the end of the story. But, I think it will be an important event in the future telling of the era of election fraud in America. I remember Watergate. It didn't unravel overnight, and those of us who thought Nixon had committed a crime were in the vast minority. In less than a decade, shelf after shelf in libraries were devoted to 'our long national nightmare'

One last thought. I read last night that FAUX News' ratings are dropping. This 'right wing all day, all the time' era has got to be ending it's glory days. When the pendulum swings back in America, it can swing pretty quickly.

I really do think today was a good day.

[FreepFryer]

1. Me too. Your post was most welcome. And you are far from alone. Here we go

[rodeodance]

2. i agree ----good day-very good day!

[genieroze]

3. Welcome to DU. eom

[theblasmo]

4. We Already Do

Well, I'm not a grad student anymore, but I assure you the grad school community is pretty large at DU, and I'm sure the archives are already in use. I would have required my students to at least read a transcript of the hearings for class. In fact, I may still do it when we're back in session.

[metisnation]

5. grad school

M.A. M.S.

The smarter you are the more likely your dem.


:dem:

[wildflower]

6. I was thinking the same thing when I saw that Carlson's been let go...

from CNN (re: your comment about the pendulum swinging).

I also agree, today was a historic event and a great accomplishment. That's not to say more couldn't have been done, but a few days ago we were all wondering if any Senator would even join at all.

-wildflower

[Top Lizard]

7. History and Current Events

As a history professor and graduate student, your post finally got me to officially join DU. (I've been visiting the site since last November.) I'm not quite sure what to make of today's events, as I don't have cable and the SCLM coverage seems mighty slim (Here in D.C., CBS ran nothing, and Channel 9 made only the briefest mention!) I called both of my senators, Durbin and Obama, but don't yet know what all they said or did today.

My personal lack of complete information is, I think, a microcosm for most of us here, as it's too early to know how everything will shake out. Today's events were an important first step, as you noted, Diane, and we really don't know what this will lead to tomorrow or a hundred years from now. Given all the low points of American history or even 2000 to the present, I'm willing to wait a little. I can certainly empathize with those who are upset or disappointed (so am I, in some respects), but political change in this country has historically seemed to depend heavily upon "the vital center" (to use Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.'s words). In that respect, coming across as moderate, thoughtful, and dedicated to larger American ideals should represent a positive step.

If modern American historiography has shown anything, it's that the voices of the dispossessed or marginalized are (at least to some extent) eventually heard. That, in time, does shape the history which students study, and can (ideally) influence their thoughts and future actions. I found your Watergate analogy apt. We already know more about Florida now than we did in 2000, and more information will appear in the years to come. I think the same will be said for Ohio.

The key question, of course, is whether there will be anything left by that time. George III is clearly running the republic into the ground, but all is not yet lost. Short of a dramatic cataclysm like the Great Depression, repairing the Bush-Cheney missteps will take years. But I am optimistic that we will walk down that road, one step at a time.

[Lizzie Borden]

8. The problem with the Watergate analogy is...

that then the Dems had control of both the senate and house and we could FORCE things to happen. Now, we control nothing.

[Top Lizard]

9. Watergate

Shame on you, Lizzie! Here I am, my first post, and you're already bringing out the ax! :) I understand your point about Watergate, and the Democrats' current minority status is a problem. On the other hand, history is full of instances where people initiated change even if they weren't calling all the shots from the top down. Even as a minority party, the Democrats still have a significant local and national platform.

When discussing recent events, it's worth noting that Watergate was, however, a slow pressure-cooker crisis that evolved from a "third-rate burglary." If I remember correctly, a key point occurred when even some moderate Republicans became convinced that Nixon and his Dirty Tricks gang were subverting American democracy, thus making Nixon's impeachment inevitable had he not resigned.

In a general sense, though, the 2004 election scandal may grow over time. If we're going to move ahead on voting reform, it does seem that Democrats will have to a) convince enough independents and Republicans to join them, or b) position the issue so "reasonably" that the Bushies are hard put to oppose it for fear of looking like the unbalanced extremists they are.