It's Not Up To You

Now what?

Late October, I felt like the John McCain that suspended his presidential campaign and rushed to the nation's capitol to rescue the economy. Instead of a 'presidential campaign', substitute 'doctorate in musicology'; instead of 'the nation's capitol ', substitute Cleveland, OH. And instead of 'rescue the economy' substitute 'volunteer for Obama.'

Yep. I passed on AMS, left Montreal and the work I had to do for a week, so that I could help elect Senator Obama. It was excellent, and rewarding, and all the positive stuff you might expect. I have a few souvenir posters in my apartment now to show for it, too. But there's a bit of a nagging thought, "Now what?"

See, the main reason I went is that I saw myself clicking around the internets looking for the latest campaign story and realized that none of it was actually going to put Obama in the White House. My mind had been made up, and had cast my absentee ballot; I had done my part, right? I think not.

My 'part' happens all around me every day; I'm either plugged into it or not. The Obama election presents me, at least, with the realization that I'm doing as little now politically as before I left. It's not a once-every-four-years engagement I'm after. I think that leads to "as long as there's a dem in the white house, we're good" attitudes. It smells like tribalism and a license to check out.

I can't get behind that.

I'd be interested to hear what you plan to do now that Obama's been elected. Are you more interested in politics than before? Are you looking ahead to the '10 elections? Or are you thankful you won't have to deal with any of it for four years?