I'm realizing the real beauty of the democratic system. It's not so much the power of each voter or each politician, but the power of hope and renewal.
Obama has been criticized for a failure of narrative since his presidency began. Though I still have faith that he's managing as well as anyone could, I agree with this criticism. During his campaign, he gave us a very real, very rare gift: vision. He reinvigorated our collective imagination for how the world could and should be. He helped us renew our hope that things can change, and that we have the ability to change them.
That is the true power of elections. They encourage us to clarify again and again what we believe as ideal, and what we want for ourselves. That continuous reimagining of an end that never comes is a beautiful thing, a driving life force, the essence of inspiration.
Obama hasn't been able to create an effective narrative--a stable story that enlivens our moral sensibilities--out of all the challenges he's facing.
"We still want to believe that Obama is on our side, willing to fight those bad corporate actors who cut corners and gambled recklessly while regulators slept, Congress raked in contributions, and we got stuck with the wreckage and the bills. But his leadership style keeps sowing confusion about his loyalties, puncturing holes in the powerful tale he could tell." Frank Rich, Don't Get Mad Mr. President, Get Even.
We've still got plenty of desire and outrage to fuel progress, we just need leadership to focus and direct us. Have we still got the guts of revolution?
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