A New Brand of Democracy

Last night's celebration outside the White House had the excitement of an at home basketball upset over Duke-- District residents "rushed the court." The victory was hardly an upset in the short run - Obama has been expected to win for months - but in the long run this was an upset victory over the pride, political interests, prejudices, and patrimony that mark Washington-as-usual.

Some would deride the recent political enthusiasm as a mark of a radicalism and faction, of the sort criticized by Federalist 10. I beg to differ. What we see in reality is a young, highly educated and compassionate generation reinvigorated by the hope of a new brand of politics. A good friend sent a brief text message saying, "I will admit it was great to feel so inspired by our new leader after so long of not feeling that." Not since a brief period after September 11 has my generation felt encouraged by our democracy. Mark Shields commented in a Newshour interview, "I think there's a sense of goodwill in the country... A sense of goodwill in the world that George Bush had after 9/11 and the country had after 9/11 that was squandered, quite honestly, in Iraq...which has been repurchased in his victory." For many of us our democratic enthusiasm was betrayed in Iraq with lies, deceit, and political interests.

Last night, I saw wounds heal. Last night was a stamp on the self-efficacy of a people, and especially on the self-efficacy of the young and minorities.

The Obama presidency now has the burden and privilege of redefining democracy in America and setting the example of what the standard of politics will be for my generation. In the words of John McCain, a man who paved the way for the kind of politics Obama represents, "Godspeed to the man who was my former opponent and will be my president."
Godspeed President Elect Obama and Godspeed citizens of the United States of America.