Congrats community! We've done it, we elected the most inspirational and brilliant leader in a Generation. We've broken the color barrier and proved that race is no longer a hinderance to the highest office in the land, and won an election that has the potential to alter the course of Human history, and I say that without hyperbole... We've done a great thing, not only for the country, but for the world. And as much as I've loved my country, I can honestly say I've never been prouder to be an American. We all deserve some welcome time off to celebrate and enjoy the fruits of our labor. Which is why I feel so bad spoiling the party, but I'm afraid I have no choice...
Because regardless of how hard we've worked, how much we've donated, how much time we've given up, the fact of the matter is that getting Obama elected was the easy part.
It now falls to us to make his Presidency a success, to prove the critics wrong and hold on to and even build on what we've done. I believe that President Obama's (Damn I love the sound of that!) leadership will be as extraordinary as his campaign, but like he's said, he can't do it without us.
Now, I'm going to make a confession here, because I feel like I would be a fraud without telling this community that I don't feel like I really did all that much to contribute to Obama's victory. I didn't volunteer, I didn't canvas, I didn't phone bank. I'm a single father who works 45 hours a week and spends what little time is left over after work and commuting raising my son. Sure, I contributed as much as I could, and encouraged other people to contribute as well (fairly successfully) and of course argued with anyone who would listen the merits of Obama's presidency. And of course I voted. But beyond that, I can't take credit for Obama's win.
But that doesn't mean that I don't feel like I have a stake in his presidency. Nor does it mean that I won't lose if we fail to keep the promises made during the campaign. So here's my question to all of you: What do we do now? What can we do now?
The interesting thing about politics is that the power to stay in power is really in the hands of the party in office. Once the politicking is over, it becomes that parties responsibility to actually govern. And that's our job, now.
The greatest thing to ever happen to the Democratic Party was republican single-party rule. They came to power with an ideology that said that government can't work and when they had control they made sure it didn't. And then of course they had no one else to blame for their failures. But now we're in the same spot, and if there's one thing that the republicans are good at (it sure as hell isn't governing), it's placing blame on others, and now we make an easier target than ever. We'd be absolutely foolish to think that they aren't going to be looking for everything and anything to go wrong so that they can blame us, even things that are obviously beyond our control.
But I have watched the power that is in this community and the community of volunteers that Obama helped build, and though we cannot control everything, there is no question in my mind that that power can make a real difference in this country. But here's the thing, it's not going to be enough in 2010 or 2012 to canvass and phone bank or donate a little money if people can't see the real difference in their lives that great an Obama Presidency will bring. And I don't think it will be enough to assume that President Obama will take care of everything. And furthermore, I get the feeling that he doesn't think that will be enough either...
So yeah, that's it... That's my question. What do we do now? I want to help, I want to do more than I was able to do during the election, and I know that you all do too. To be honest, I'm writing this not because I know the answer but because I believe there is enough creativity and imagination and understanding here, in this community, to begin answering that question. The only thing I know is that it will be much harder than simply getting him elected, and that if we don't succeed, even reproducing the same hurculean efforts in four years won't be enough to keep this movement going forward.
Can't wait to hear all your thoughts!