Many of us worked hard to elect Barack Obama and fought hard for what he represents. We made phone calls, knocked on doors, made donations, $5, $10, $200. Some of us monitored the polls, gathered and loaded data, and/or otherwise spread the word to friends, relatives and colleagues. A few of us took on the role of organizing these activities in more of a managerial capacity. And, of course, we all voted. We all did what we could.
The good news is we succeeded. Our hard work paid off. We achieved our immediate threshold goal and, to be sure, instantly effected a degree of change. We now can believe again in the power of ordinary people to do extraordinary things in this country. That change has come. It feels good, doesn't it?
But have we done what we really set out to do?
Have we remade our economy so that it is based on a strong core of hopeful working Americans who get their fair share of the fruits of economic growth, and not on house-of-cards accounting subterfuge that tends to benefit those with the most?
Have we achieved equal opportunity for everyone, so that CEO's and other ultra-wealthy Americans aren't hoarding tens of millions that they don't need, while the working Americans who generated that income can barely make ends meet?
Do we encourage workers to organize unions so that there's a more level playing field in negotiations with employers?
Do we have affordable health care? Insurers who genuinely care about their policyholders, and not just their bottom line? Do we have energy independence? Respect and dignity in the workplace, and in our town squares? A responsible conclusion to a pointless and wasteful war? Peace and diplomacy?
Do we have true unity of purpose in this country? Genuine honesty and integrity in government and in the people?
Needless to say, the answer to all of these questions is a resounding No. Not even close. Not yet.
And, while he may be our symbol of a change for the better and an inspiration to bring it, Barack Obama is not the change we seek. Nor is Joe Biden or any other politician du jour.
We are the change we seek.
Which means that if we don't continue to act and make sacrifices, enduring change will not come: The Obama Administration could stumble and fall (think Jimmy Carter); in eight years (or God forbid four) another George W. Bush could squeeze his (or her) way into the presidency; in forty years our children and grandchildren could face the same divided nation, with the same systemic inequalities and cynicism, that we face today.
Real change is still only a possibility.
So what will your role be in bringing about real change in this country? During the campaign, our immediate goal was clear: Get our candidate elected. To this end, our roles in the campaign were, for the most part, pre-defined. We didn't have to spend much time considering what we could do. We spent more time thinking about how we could fit pre-defined tasks into our schedules and budgets, and when and where we could or should perform them.
But now that the election is over, the specific things we must do are no longer defined for us. We have to define our roles for ourselves, taking into account our unique talents, and weaknesses. For many of us, this will require some significant soul-searching, which can take significant time, energy and resources.
For what it's worth, I've started to make some changes. I've left my high-paying job as a big firm attorney defending the corporate status quo in this country, and have committed myself to a different, more selfless course of serving public and community interests. I'll be selling my condo that I love so much because my commitment to public service on the one hand, and the size of my mortgage payment on the other, are inconsistent propositions. At this point.
I'm reaching out to others and publishing writings reflecting my core beliefs and passions on the public affairs of our time; and encouraging selected others in my life to do the same, because I have a hunch it will help inspire them to action. I am doing everything is my power to make sure the Employee Free Choice Act is finally made into law, because my grandfather, who worked on the assembly line at Chevrolet in the 40s when Taft-Hartley passed over President Truman's veto, would have wanted it, and would be proud of me for doing it.
But I've got lots more work to do, more soul-searching about what I am uniquely equipped to do to help usher in our New Era.
Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and over again. By its very definition, change is not how you're living your life right now.
What will you change about yourself, your routines, your "comfort zone," so that real change comes to this country for you, your children and grandchildren? What true sacrifices will you make for a cause greater than yourself? Only you can answer these questions, though I'd be delighted to discuss them with you.
The day after the election, a reporter asked Oprah Winfrey how she felt. Oprah said, "I feel like anything's possible." That's precisely how this moment in history makes me feel. Do you feel that too?
Find and act upon that something you've always, in your heart of hearts, wanted for yourself and for all Americans, but that you never thought was possible. Because it is. Begin now. Change won't come if you wait for some other time or some other person.
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