The day after:):):)...

I've got to go pick up Melissa for lunch, here in a sec:):):)...

But I just wanted to make a little comment on the election, now that it is over:):):)...

The bigger picture, right now, I think, for American democracy, is that during an extended period of voter apathy and lack of voter turnout for elections in most major democracies, that trend might be changing, somewhat, this election:):):)...

That's a good sign, I think...because, hopefully, it will mean that citizens will play a more active role in their democracy...that they will be more responsible for the decisions of it's government...for it's failures as well as it's successes...

And...as Andrew Sullivan says this morning...the silver lining in this election is that Republicans and President Bush are now squarely responsible for the consequences of their policy choices...with no concerns about whether the American public is behind them...or with power wrangling in the Senate...they now, unequivocally, run all major branches of the Federal Government...and the American people are clearly and without a doubt responsible for putting them there...

Now we see what happens:):):)...

In 1972, Richard Nixon won reelection with, as George Will writes this morning, a divisive war engaged...and the larger picture, from that period, I think, is that decent people make mistakes...but that we can support them to do better:):):):)...

All of our efforts should be dedicated to supporting the President to win this war and to cause as few casulaties to U.S. troops, Iraqis, terrorist victims, and everyone as possible...to wage this war with integrity and to make SMARTER choices...not NASTIER ones:):):)...

And to do good for everyone's sake...and I mean everyone...around the globe...

We get better at it a little bit at a time:):):)...

Talk with everyone later:):):)...

Love,
Ben