Did you think it was ever going to be easy?

[Politicub]

I went to bed last night and woke up this morning thinking about what we can learn from what happened in Mass. last night. The political analysts don't seem to be in agreement, and I don't live in Mass., so I can only read what others say about about how well or poorly Coakley ran her campaign. Predictably, the right and its water carriers say that the Brown election represented a referendum on all things Obama.

The lesson that I seem to keep learning over and lover again is that we can not take anything for granted. Struggle fuels human history, at least it has since the dawn of written history, and most likely since we started walking on two legs to peer across the Savannah.

We can only control what we ourselves do and not the actions of others. We can live by example to change hearts and minds, and exude positive energy instead of so much negativity that has run rampant this year not only on the right but also on the left. In my opinion, the unlikely election of President Obama, our first African American President, had more to do with the positive thinking brought about by hope than a reaction to the eight years prior.

Of course, anger and fear always will play a role in politics. As base emotions, being angry, blaming the other, and feigning responsibility shape many of the electorate's opinion. Liberals, progressives, suffragists, whatever label you wish to use have fought against the grain since the founding of our country and have often times prevailed.

And we must remember how the political system in our country works. Politics has been called the art of the possible and the art of compromise. We don't live in a dictatorship. We have a representative democracy. Sometimes it doesn't seem as such, but the overall structure still is in place.

All is interconnected in our political system and it all matters. Supreme Court appointments can set our country on a different course. Having a majority means that your party controls committee chairmanships. And the list goes on and on and on.

Our American history doesn't end with the election of Brown. It didn't end with Obama. It won't stop with the healthcare bill that may or may not pass. It won't end with whoever gets elected ten years from now.

As for me, I resolve to not take part in liberal infighting. We must all keep our eye on the prize. It's an old saying, but we all hang separately or hang together. If any good can come from last night, I hope it will be us rallying around a common cause and focus on the real enemies of progress. I haven't lost hope. Sometimes it's all that we who struggle have.