• The Publisher’s Notebook •

The Voters Have the Last Word

BY ANNE SOBLE

We do not know who put up this sign on a fence in Malibu, or what their personal politics may be. It doesn’t really matter. What does matter is that the words capture the essence of what transpired on Tuesday when Americans went to the polls in record numbers to elect a new president, senators, representatives, governors, mayors and city council members, as well as voice their opinions on an array of public policies.
The November 2008 election produced many firsts, and whatever transpires, it has permanently transformed American government and politics. Ironically, those of us who voted absentee missed out on some of the magic to be found in going to the polls with more people than have ever voted before and experiencing their sense of hopefulness and enthusiasm.
After decades of civic leaders ineffectively exhorting citizens to cast ballots, the citizenry overwhelmingly responded to a combination of candidates and issues, especially the economy, and voted with its heart and mind to try to effect change that will make individuals’ lives and the state of the nation better.
To watch people wait for hours in lines that vividly reflected the rainbow demographics of the nation was exhilarating, all the more so when one was aware that most of the world was watching as well. A world that will continue to watch and, in most cases, join in America’s wish to come to grips with an economy in shambles and a foreign policy that has been marked by disconnect and fear-mongering.
We, the people, have decided. The election is not an end, but, as we have repeatedly said, a beginning. Everyone has a stake in the future. If the unprecedented turnout at the polls is to be meaningful, it has to translate into ongoing political participation. If that happens, America truly can do just about anything. Yes, it can.