There’s a lot going on in the blog world tonight. The internet seems to be slower than molasses. I think we are all finally recovering from our shock and deciding what to do about it. Several places that have helped me think about this are Bitch, Ph.D., Unfogged, The Cul de Sac, and Scrivenings.

Here is my own personal list of where I want to go from here–what kind of country I want to live in.

1. A place where we appreciate our differences and resolve to make sure that people are not discriminated against because of those differences. No matter what your sex, race, creed, sexual orientation, you have the same rights as everyone else. Gay couples can marry, adopt children, pay taxes, get the same kinds of jobs, get the same health benefits, etc. as everyone else.

2. A place where we do our best to level the playing field. This means providing greater educational opportunities in poor populations, greater economic opportunities in those same populations. This will probably also mean a close examination of the tax code so we can go back to an income tax instead of the wage tax we currently have.

3. I want to be in a country that takes seriously its position in the world as a big economic power and helps 3rd world countries deal with poverty, genocide, civil war, AIDs and other problems those countries struggle with more than we do. I want us to put diplomacy and world partnerships first always.

4. A balanced budget. If I have to have one, then so does the government.

5. More support for women. Find a way to get rid of the wage gap. Support women (and men) who choose to stay at home to raise children. Provide better support for families where both parents work. Find ways to encourage more women to run for office or to become CEOs. Protect a woman’s right to choose.

There’s plenty more–but those are the big ones for now. To start, I’m becoming more involved in my own local political scene. Here’s the website for my township’s democratic party.