You voted. Now what?
By Raphael Baker
The previous election season was by far one of the most interesting that most of us have been involved in during our lifetime. We are now trying to wean ourselves off of our CNN addictions and other nightly political news fixes. Donna Brazile, Anderson Cooper, Roland Martin, Candy Crowley and Campbell Brown became household names. Everyone was glued to the primaries on both sides of the ticket.
On the Democratic side, we saw candidates fall by the wayside one by one. The predicted favorite, Hillary Clinton, was shockingly defeated by the underdog, a young, freshman senator from Illinois . The Republicans also nominated their underdog, an elderly war veteran who has been a politician since being elected to the House of Representatives in 1982. The main event of the season was the intense battle between the “maverick” and the community organizer.
Who could forget the buzzwords and slogans of the campaigns such as, “Joe the Plumber”, “Hockey Mom” and “Yes We Can!” Everyone laughed at Tina Fey’s uncanny SNL portrayal of Vice-Presidential candidate Sarah Palin. We laughed even harder at the real Sarah Palin noting that the extent of her foreign policy experience was the ability to see Russia from Alaska . Who wasn’t choked up during the debates when Joe Biden fought back tears while discussing his personal family tragedies? Obama remained cool, calm and collected while his adversaries began to sweat and turn on each other. Mud was slung on both sides. Obama was accused of ‘palling around with terrorists’ while McCain was accused of being cranky because he missed his nap. Biden was blamed for talking too much while Palin was taunted for not giving enough interviews.
Despite the negativity of the campaigns, people knocked on doors, made phone calls, donated record amounts of money and attended rallies to show support of whichever candidate reflected their beliefs. People turned out in record numbers, including many first time voters, to ensure their voices would be heard. In the end, most Americans made it crystal clear as to what was needed- change. There wasn’t a dry eye in this country when it was announced that Barack Obama would become America ’s first Black president. Men and women of all races, ages and backgrounds cheered and celebrated the fact that this country had come so far. Republicans lost the Senate and the House. Also, in California , Proposition 8 was passed, rewriting the state constitution, thus revoking same-sex marriages. In the aftermath of the election, what are we to do now?
We have all cast our votes, but our work is not over. Having a new president is not going to fix our problems. There are many issues that ail our country, and there is no magic wand Obama can wave to make everything better. The economy has collapsed. The government bailouts are just Band-Aids on top of gaping financial wounds. Banks are closing. More and more people are losing their homes. Unemployment rates across the country are sky-rocketing. The so-called American dream is no longer a reality for many people.
One way to keep the momentum going is to join a political activist group. There are many groups ranging from economic reform groups to those dealing with environmental issues. A good resource for finding the perfect group for you is the National Political Index (www.politicalindex.com). This site lists groups by topics and has links to their websites.
For those who want something a little more laid back, join a political social networking group. These groups usually sponsor many events throughout the year. If you are a Democrat, Republican, Independent or undecided, you can find a group that suits your needs. To find a group near you, go to Meetup.com.
Another way is to host your own political gatherings. You don’t need to rent a hall or have a special location. You can invite friends and family that share your views over to your home to meet and develop action plans. You can spend time drafting petitions, writing letters to politicians and even fundraising.
If you are like many people who feel they can’t get involved because of lack of time, join an online group. There are groups such as Moveon.org and Colorofchange.org which you can join with just a few clicks of your mouse. You can participate in online discussions, meet others from around the country and even send letters to elected officials.
These are just a few suggestions for you to stay involved. We no longer have the luxury of being voyeurs, while others do the work for us. “Yes we can” now has to be “Yes we will” or we will all suffer the dire consequences.
