Same Boat, Different Oceans

This morning by the dawn's early light we can analyze yesterday’s election results and when all is said and done, very little will have been changed regardless of the outcome. 

No matter your politics or ideology, the Forces of Evil (however and whoever you perceive "them" to be) didn't win and the parting on the left is now parting on the right (and the beards, such as they are, have all grown longer overnight). 

There will be words written about what has happened or what hasn't today and in the next few days, but here's a few right now: no matter the weather and the clouds' presence/absence on the horizon, the sun will come up whether the persons you supported or opposed won or lost. 

That's the beauty of our democracy. The opportunity for revolutionary change without revolution. We are the envy of much of the rest of the world, and the scourge of those who don't envy us, because of the peaceful revolutions we have when we vote. 

I'm hoping we had at least a fifty percent registered voter turnout here, though one hundred does have a nice ring to it, because if all you do is complain about how awful things are, but you won't do anything to change the road we’re on, then you're part of the problem. It's been my experience that it's never eaten as hot as it's served, so enjoy your breakfast because we have a lot of work to do. 

First, thank you to all who offered themselves as candidates. We all benefited from your generosity of spirit. For those who are our Mayor, City Council members, and those chosen for the Board of Education as you’ve probably already guessed, campaigning was a lot easier than governing will prove to be. 

I grew up in New Jersey where 'vote early and often' isn't just a suggestion but a mantra. Yeah, we used to grumble, but we (also) went to the polls. Around these parts too often all we do is gripe to one another about how we're not going to take it anymore. Except, that's what we said at the last election, and the one before that and the one before that. We seem to forget nothing ever happens if you don't make it happen. 

I’ve written this before Election Day, but history suggests that all of us realize as of today some will say we elected too many/not enough new people, and we'll spend the next two years wondering if one or the other is true. 

In any event, I hope, as I always do, that we haven't simply chosen new brooms to sweep old dust because while this is the country of unlimited opportunity, there are only so many second chances we can have before one of them proves to be our last. 

Today, the day after the election is the time to stop arguing about who did what to whom and why or how and to look instead to those whom we’ve elected as leaders to help us all grab an oar and pull as hard as we can for shore. Otherwise, we’re going to swim until we can't see land. And no good has ever come from that.
-bill kenny