Participation to Anticipation

Every child remembers that interminable period between handing in your Christmas list and the day you actually receive your gifts. It’s a similar, though markedly different experience from when you get in trouble at school at you wait for your parents to arrive home to punish you. There are moments when the decisions have already been made, but when you have to wait before anything can be done. Right now, like that child before Christmas, in theory I have this great present I’ll be getting on January 20th, but I can’t enjoy it until then. After coming down from the high of Tuesday night, it’s difficult for it to feel real because while we’ve elected Barack Obama, he’s still not our President for two more months.

At least during the campaign, their was an energy of optimism propelling us forward, and at all times there were actions we could take to achieve our desired outcome. Now, we have that outcome, and while there’s plenty to be done in the meantime, those of us who elected Obama don’t have much to do except wait until that day when we can see the fruits of our labor in action.

It’s important to remember that there is an army of volunteers out here, people who spent weekends phone-banking, or canvassing their neighbors, or donating their money, all to achieve the historic victory we saw on Tuesday night. We’re all still out here, and ready to be mobilized. The DNC and Obama campaign shouldn’t forget that in all of the planning they have to do before January. In the meantime, we should do what we can to stay engaged and keep things moving in the right direction. Volunteer in your community, write letters to your representatives telling them specifically which issues are most important to you, keep canvassing your friends and acquaintances to get them on board with the new President. Sure, the election is over, but we can still win hearts and minds, and make it that much easier for the new administration.