Too Excited to Sleep!

This election marks the 30th year that I have been old enough to vote. In that time I have not felt the collective passion that recognizes the power of the people and the belief in the democratic process. It has been a long campaign and several people haven't gotten what they perhaps wanted on the tickets. But the Democratic Party and the Obama Campaign has brought the party together with a united voice. The Obama team orchestrated a beautiful, respectful campaign that took the high road and kept us focused on the important issues. Things that I am curious about:

• Why are the debates between Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates called debates? What would happen if the were actual debates? Could the campaign season be shortened?
• Does the Republican Party not fund higher education to keep voters from getting a college education and learn how to critically think and therefore vote Democratic?
• How long will politicians continue to support dualistic, capitalistic, competition that causes everyone eventually to lose? Can we shift the paradigm in the next four years?
• Would anyone else like to see a true debate between Hillary Rodham Clinton and Sarah Palin? It would wisely redirect Palin's career path.
• It is time to fix the methods we use to vote, count, and confirm numbers. It is time to find the method that serves US citizens and protect the integrity of our political process. 
• What happened to the news outside of the campaign? I wonder if there is a need to not cover political news in order to continue to inform citizens of local, state, national, AND GLOBAL news! 

I shift between....ok, this is going to be all right and I can sleep...to...I'm afraid to sleep, something is going to happen and it will all fall apart. What is wrong with these thoughts? I don't trust the political leadership in power positions right now...I don't trust that there isn't something happening to maintain status quo.

And then I think of Obama's last rally....90,000 in attendance!! I think of the younger, first time voters who are pissed off and ready to take control. I think of the "We Generation" that will shoulder the mess from George W. for their lifetime....and I calm down a bit....but, still...don't think I'll be getting a lot of sleep tonight. 

Remember this day. Remember these feelings and the possibilities. It is now. The time has arrived. Shift starts....