Time To Get Back On Track

My family watched the election night coverage until the wee hours of the morning last night. Watching the speeches of both President Elect Barack Obama and Senator John McCain last night moved me to tears. I am neither Democrat or Republican. I do not vote for a "party" when I vote. I vote for the candidate I feel is the right choice. And this election was a difficult one because it was hard to decide who the right choice was. I hope that everyone was able to get out and exercise their right to vote.

This election was so very important for our nation, and anyone who thinks Obama's win is a Democratic victory or an African American victory is missing the point entirely. America has 30 states in recession and 17 more states at risk of falling into a recession. Unemployment has risen, with 21 states seeing a 7% or more unemployment rate, mine being one of them, and Michigan and Rhode Island seeing over 8%. Foreclosure rates are up 71% from this same period last year. 71%!!

No, yesterday's win was not a Democratic victory or a Republican loss. It is not solely about electing the first black man as President of the United States. It's about hope, and a belief that as Americans if we work together we can dig our nation out of this rut and start to fix the problems we are facing. Let the history behind this election be that for the first time Americans put aside their political, social, and racial differences to work together to make things happen in this country, resolve the issues we are facing, get our economy back on track, and create a better country to leave our grandchildren when we are gone.

"This victory alone is not the change we seek - it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were."
Barack Obama

"Find ways to come together, to find the necessary compromises, to bridge our differences, and help restore our prosperity, and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited."
John McCain