my hopes…

for the next political cycle:

• i hope the newly-registered and energized electorate is not a passing phenomenon. the results of yesterday’s historic election are proof that the voice of the people is important – and can be heard if we speak loudly enough. i hope the next presidential candidates – regardless of color, gender or class – are capable of capturing the enthusiasm and excitement that were all but lost in american politics before this election.
• i hope president-elect, barack obama, is able to accomplish great things during the next four to eight years. it’s hard to see the light at the end of the messy tunnel created by the bush administration, but if anyone is capable, i think it’s him.
  
• i hope americans don’t blame obama for circumstances beyond his control. things are so bad for so many facets of our nation that a fairytale ending isn’t likely. as much as one might wish, barack won’t be able to fix everything.  no one could. i repeat, no one could.  we must not hold him accountable for conditions created by the shortsightedness and selfishness of the system he’s working to change. we all know the uphill climb is harder than the way down. it took the bush administration eight years to shatter a healthy economy, erode our civil liberties, destroy our place as a respected world power, delay our steps toward a country powered by clean energy and…okay, i think you get the point. they effed up. but if it takes eight years to fall so far, it’s only reasonable to assume the trip back up will be a long and trying journey.
  
• i hope barack’s message and approach are contagious.  the more we work together, the better it is for all of us. if we all care a little more about the world we have to live in each day – AND do our part to contribute – then it IS possible to make this a better place. yesterday’s results are proof that the individual does matter.
• finally, i hope the steps we took forward yesterday are not replaced with steps back. this is who the people have democratically chosen to run their country. we have come too far and have too much to work to do to rebuild this country. the federal abuse of the american people must stop, and we have only just begun to clear the path toward understanding and progress.

and to my fellow (u.s.)americans, thank you for restoring my hope. let us not ride these tides of change into the sunset. rather, let’s use them to make bigger waves.

Tags: barack obama, bush administration, change, democracy, democrat, hope, political blog, politics, president-elect, voting