The phrase, my post-election recapitulation of the Guy Fawkesian ballad, is rich with irony.

Most associate Guy Fawkes with the Vaudevillian "V" from the graphic-novel-turned-major-motion-picture V for Vendetta, the character who sought to end a British autocracy by symbolically blowing up Parliament as in inspiration for a national rebellion. And yet the original Fawkes was a pro-Catholic anti-Protestant Theocrat, who sought to blow up the aristocratic British parliament and return England to religiously-upheld rule. The stark contrast with a pop culture character has a stunning resemblance to the anachronistic Conservative movement that sought to set back 21st century America into Guy Fawkes' 16th century.

I had always associated America with not just religious tolerance, but as a secular state that embraced all religions (and yes, there is a difference between the two). And yet, the Bush administration, wearing its faith on its sleeve, has largely sought to annihilate this notion, and has given credibility to the Pat Robertsons of the world, folks who feel the United States is a Christian nation, and to be anything else is anti-American. This doesn't do justice to the diversity in the United States, but I'm not sure anyone took notice until Colin Powell's articulate endorsement of Barack Obama on the Meet the Press a few weeks ago. Worse still had been the divisive politics played by John McCain and Sarah Palin, neither of whom I am sure are racist, but who incited and nurtured those feelings in the basest of their base.

Fast forward a few weeks, and you have the stunningly cathartic moment that brought you last night's election result. That America, after eight years of fear-mongering and divisive politics, could embrace a mixed race candidate with little legislative experience but a thoughtful and well-articulated plan will go a long way to slamming the door on the racial and religious fracturing that had become the standard Republican playbook in recent elections.

This election not only represents a new sense of inclusion for all, but my sincerest hope is it will return the celebration of intellectualism, of ideas, and of a meritocracy that had once been the hallmark of the American state.

Ultimately, one hopes it will bring a return of power and stability to the middle-class. It is useful to note the middle-class is a singularity in the history of our species. For much of human history, there has been a ruling class, and a working class. In the 1930s, Franklin Roosevelt put forth the policy changes that resulted in the middle class, a notion that has been embraced around the world. These policies have been under attack that past 25-30 years with the advent of trickle-down economics. Yesterday's election was a referendum on the failure of those policies. Ironically, the largely middle- and working-class attendees booing at McCain and Palin rallies, when the two mentioned "redistribution of the wealth", are the people who stand to benefit the most from that redistribution (which is the essential concept of taxation).

The task before Obama, and really all of us, remains large and imposing, but we took the first step last night, and for that reason, let us always remember this 4th of November.

...and raise you Hanuman?

OK, it didn't go down in exactly that fashion, but Obama carrying around a small good luck charm in Hanuman's image has India going ga-ga. I'm sure he didn't realize the significance of it, and of course at some point someone in McCain's camp will try to label him as a pagan idol-worshiper. And then will that insult result in Indian-Americans fleeing to the Democrats in droves? What's that? Their only religion is money? Oh...

So what does this mean for Obama? Is he steadily taking up his position as the anti-Bush? Clearly, he is becoming increasingly popular around the world, and this can only mean an improvement of America's international image down the road.

By the way, for all that Bush-McCain talk about not negotiating with your enemies, in the end they found diplomacy an apt solution to at least one of their problems.

Much has been made recently of the so-called Gas-Tax Holiday, dubbed by the Obama campaign as the McCain-Clinton holiday. Forget for a moment the merits of the proposal, which, dubious though it may seem to many of us, does have its backers. Hillary Clinton has been selling the 3 month federal gas tax holiday to Indiana voters as something she will implement starting this summer.

Here's where I have a problem. Clinton is a Senator. For this bill to be passed into law, she first must propose it to the Senate, where, at least at the moment, it appears the majority do not support the plan. Even lawmakers from her own state are skeptical for the idea. Nevertheless, let us assume that she rallies enough support to pass the bill through the Senate. Oh, and through the House of Representatives, meaning over 500 members of Congress must approve this bill.

Assuming the bill gets that far, it then is presented to the President, Dubya himself. I cannot imagine the Republican president, in an election year, passing any bill that has been championed by, not only a Democrat, but a Democrat seeking to establish a political dynasty of sorts, even if the bill was originally paraded by McCain. However, let us assume Dubya, in a weak moment (not out of the realm of possibility) does sign the bill into law.

I know by now your brain is hemorrhaging at the idea, but please indulge me once more. Assuming all of this somehow takes place, we are to believe that this bill will be signed, sealed, and delivered by the beginning of summer (i.e. June 1). For those who are calenderagorically challenged, today is May 6. Even if she proposed it today, (not likely; by the way, when is the last time these senators did the jobs we're paying them for?) in just over three weeks, both houses of Congress, and then the Executive branch (neither known for their sharp attendance) are going to convene, agree, vote, and pass this bill??? And we're supposed to believe this???

Even Superman couldn't operate this quickly (but perhaps flying pigs do).

oh boy