NaBloPoMo ~ Day 5

I can't help it. I'm still walking on air from yesterday's election results. I refuse to apologize, and I am definitely not gloating, but it sure did feel good to back a winner for once!

I'm a member of the Gallup Panel, and have been for several years. They always step up the phone calls in the weeks preceding an election, and then call once or twice after the election to see how I voted and why. I loved being able to take that call this evening and answer "excited" when they asked me how I felt about President-Elect Obama's win. I know he won't be able to change things immediately ~ but I have hope that he will be able to make things happen, that WE will be able to make things happen. Really, the President has so little control over what actually gets done in America ~ it is up to We the People to actually get out there and do the hard work.

I know ~ some of you are thinking, "But what about Congress?" Meh. I tend to believe that no one should be allowed to become a professional politician. (It's one of the reasons why I didn't support Hillary for president ~ she's been in the game too long!) They are too indebted to the special interest groups and big businesses that get them elected term after term. I think there should be term limits ~ 2 each, period, no matter what. Get a constant turnover in Washington. Inject fresh blood into the system. Don't have people who literally make a career out of governing for us ~ and don't give them time to be blinded by the bright lights of Washington.

But that's a battle for another day, right? Term limits aren't popular because people have been historically afraid of change. We'd rather elect and then re-elect the same slate of (mostly) old men, year after year, and then let them waffle their way out of taking responsibility for what they don't accomplish on our behalf. Keep the status quo. Don't take risks. That is NOT the American way. The American way is to go out there and be the change you want to see in the world ~ take the risks, go the distance, challenge the government.


Despite a screaming migraine, today I woke up with hope for our future. Hope that we can end the wars being fought on two fronts and bring our soldiers home. Hope that we can find a way to end the health care crisis in our country. Hope that we can strengthen our industries and wisely use our resources. Hope that we can find a new, better way to run those industries, without relying on foreign oil, or coal, or nukes. Hope that we can make it through the next few years without alienating the rest of the world, and hope that we can rebuild some of the bridges that President Bush burned for us.

Hope. It's a powerful emotion.