Chins up, lads!

As predicted, the sun came up this morning with beautiful clear skies.  Birds were chirping, dogs were barking and like Mr. Beagles, I don't think the election results will make a big difference in my daily life.  I was hoping to be spared the continuing visage of Mr. Fart, check that, president-elect Fart, but the fates have conspired against me (and many others).

I can't say I saw it coming, but I'm neither surprised nor shocked.  This kind of thing can happen when people are as mad as hell and won't take it anymore.  Funny thing is, the Big Girl had a tiny edge in the popular vote the last time I checked.  Now we can see how well the system of checks and balances really works; many challenges lie ahead.

But these challenges also provide opportunities for us to make things work, if we choose to do so.  I can ignore all the lies and promises of the campaign; they mean nothing now, we have a clean slate.  Didn't Obama promise to close Guantanamo?  Like it or not, very few campaign promises have ever been kept; that's always been part of the game and our memories are short.

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And the game has changed, hasn't it?  Pollsters, pundits, and poobahs of all stripes have had their asses handed to them, not undeservedly.  Media endorsements meant nothing.  Celebrity endorsements meant nothing.  Vast sums spent on advertising and the "ground game" meant nothing.  The mockery of late night talk show folk has meant nothing.  And do you suppose any of the celebrities that promised to leave the US will do so?  I doubt it; they seldom act on their "convictions."

The political system may have been shaken, but it is not broken.  Previously unheard voices have finally spoken, loud and clear, and can no longer be ignored or taken for granted.  This is a good thing, and may encourage more diversity in future political involvement.  This election has proven that just about anybody can run for office, and win.

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We shall see what happens.  Let the Clintons, with all of their baggage, fade from our memory as we move forward.  Let the congressional incumbents, with all of their special interests, begin to squirm with the realization that they, too, can become forgotten memories.  As the Nobel laureate once stated, "The times, they are a-changin'."