There are people I know who think it doesn't make any difference -- both Obama and McCain are tools of the establishment, chosen and ordained by the shadowy masters of the world and only presented to us as a choice already chosen for us. That may have its degree of truth, but there are things that are beyond any one person's control. We are witnessing historical phenomena. Given that America as "a democracy" leaves much to be desired, we are seeing a force of nature now. We are seeing democracy as a natural force, not as an abstract set of rules handed down by the masters of society. We are witnessing real democracy, real grassroots popular strength, as opposed to the parlor game of politics. This is a remarkable event.
This is the overthrow of a power structure that has plagued the United States for the last eight years. A creature that attached itself to the republic against the will of the population, in defiance of the democratic processes set up in the country. It was like a globular alien creature that attaches itself to the neck and won't let go. They seized every public resource, department, agency, procedure and turned them into political weapons. They were so flagrant in their abuses of power, it seemed as if they would monopolize all power before anyone could stop them, bring them down, or even re-establish a lawful, democratic government.
At this point, it seems they finally pushed too far and their hold on power has been shaken. This is a tremendous event that deserves great celebration. It may be a long way from a cure for all our ills, but it's a great step. It's like being able to say goodbye to a really ugly, creepy neighbor that has plagued you for years and is finally moving out.
Yes, the system is not going to change fundamentally just because a new person will occupy the White House. But what a change! What an improvement! Sarah Palin, at the height of her power a few days after her nomination, sneered and jeered at the idea of Obama being a community organizer. "Whatever that is," she said. I think Sarah Palin just found out what that is. Obama ran a brilliant, precisely organized, elegantly strategized campaign. That is separate from the product, which is well tuned to what the body politic has been aching for.
We are saying goodbye to the Bush era, and that is a very very sweet thing. Overnight the world is changing. Practically the entire world was rooting for Obama. Only a few backward regions of the United States still can muster up a belief in the Republican agenda. Tomorrow morning, even tonight, the world is a different place. Things have changed. And it's a good change. Let's enjoy this moment. The world will look upon America differently now. The world could not understand why America had gone so wrong, had become so aggressive and stupid. The whole world needed this. It's very very dramatic watching this historical movement taking place. The democratic process, as flawed as our system may be, is an awesome force, an amazing spectacle to witness.
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