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I have been ready for this election for so long, that I am beyond anxiety, dread, hope, or longing.
I am not even contemplating how I will feel regardless of the outcome. I can imagine feeling anger and despair over a Republican victory; and conversely, I can conjure an image of me jumping around in ecstasy, swept up in euphoria if things go our way - especially if we get those juicy Senate seats.
Yet I won't quite entertain my imagination that far. I don't want to climb so high in anticipation that I come crashing down if defeat prevails. I learned that lesson in 2002, and it served me well in 2004. Perhaps not well enough, for I posted an embarrassing tirade that I was "done with politics" and rationalized the hell out of my wounds by staking a position of disinterest and contempt. I was fortunate that many of you allowed me to come crawling back on my knees pleading forgiveness as I summoned my will to fight the good fight once again.
So my thoughts on this Most Important of Midterms concern the aftermath and how much more constructively I will deal with it, win or lose (or tie, barring a Senate takeover). My recent appointment as a voting center director on Election Day gives me just enough optimism to faintly dream, and just enough protection from obsessing over the results all day as I will not be subject to any election coverage until it is past midnight on the east coast.
It also gives me a sense of empowerment, however illusory it may be on some levels, that it is up to me how much I participate, how much I contribute, and how much I care. Win, lose, or draw, I will be ready to keep fighting the Republicans and the neo-con agenda (the only "agenda" that has caused irrefutable and noticeable harm in the past half decade plus), I will be very ready to hold the Democrats we reward with Congress accountable to advance a platform for economic justice, trade balance, lobbyist reform, and addressing the very real failures of Iraq. Either way, we're in for a fight on November 8. I'm in. There will be no fits of despair from me if the worst outcome prevails, and no overly dramatic gloating or punching the air if we Democrats take it all. There is too much work to do, and although I would happily celebrate our victory, I have too much awareness of the hard road ahead to revel for only so long.
Sweet it will be if we win, sorrowful if not... but I am in. I am ready.
Ante up.
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