Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Yes We Did. Now We Must.

In the wake of the historic election of Barack Obama, America faces an opportunity to make drastic changes. Democrats hold strong majorities in both chambers of Congress in addition to the White House. By all indications, President−elect Obama is preparing to govern with strength, inclusion, and prudence. If he is able to make good on even half of his campaign promises, then there is real potential to change the “politics as usual” in Washington.

However, for this to come to fruition, we must remember Obama’s victory speech: “This election is not about me. It is about you.” These are words that we must remind ourselves constantly. After all, the vast activist base he built was perhaps the most important factor in Obama’s election. By engaging those previously unengaged, Obama built a movement that could bring change.

But if we’re to actually see change, we must remember that the movement is not over. The movement is larger than any one person or one event. If, after victory, all these new activists go home satisfied and return to the apathy that was prevalent in the pre−Bush era, then we will have accomplished the election of the first African−American President, but nothing else. If Obama had one common theme throughout his entire campaign, it was that the government is responsible to the people, but also that the people are responsible for the government. We elect officials to represent us, but our job is not over after the election. We must diligently demand that our officials are accurately representing our interests. Disengagement of the people breeds complacency in our politicians, and they focus more on themselves and less on the public interest. And as easy as it is to blame gridlock on the government, if the people are disengaged from the process, then we are just as at fault.

So we must stay vigilant. We must constantly hold our leaders accountable. We must constantly demand transparency. This hold true with Obama as well. He will not always be right on every issue. When he isn’t, it is our job to engage him and make our voices heard.

Democrats, we have only won the chance to show that our ideas will work and are in the best national interest, nothing else. Obama is only one man and he cannot magically solve all our problems. What he has done is given Americans the opportunity to make changes through him. Republicans, you must also stay engaged. Not all of our ideas are good, and not all of your ideas are bad. You are now the loyal opposition. If your ideas are the right ones, make the case persuasively and responsibly. Convince us that you are right. If you are right, the evidence will bear it out. Do not take this time to obstruct. Work with the majority to improve America. By no means roll over for the Administration, but engage it positively to accurately represent the interests of all Americans.

At the end of the day, if we are not working for change, it will not come. To place it all on the shoulders of one man, then we are abdicating our own responsibilities and we will have failed. If Obama must be seen as a messianic figure, let it not be because we believe he is The One who will usher in a golden age, but because he preaches activism and community service. This is how he should inspire us. In the end, we govern ourselves. And our work has just begun.

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