So, let's talk about tomorrow.
Like a bartender, politics and religion are usually off limits for those in the public relations arena. For someone who used to be very politically involved, this election has made that very easy. So far, all my commentary has been on the quality of both major party candidates, and not discussing issues at all, and that's where I'll continue.
Tomorrow, one way or another, the United States will make history. It could be with the first female president, or the first billionaire president, or the first time neither candidate wins 270 electoral votes. Regardless, it will be a historical day, and a large portion of the voting electorate will be upset with the result. Some people will have a very good day, many will have a very bad day, and the rhetoric will reach levels that we have rarely seen in politics.
And then it's over. And America has a choice.
Maybe I've watched too much of the Newsroom or the West Wing, or maybe I'm a hopeless romantic about America, but I think we can do better. I think that a better candidate can be run by both parties, and that politics have become sports. I believe that the Republican Party needs a massive overhaul, and that the Democratic Party needs a reasonable opposition party in order to properly function. But most of all, I believe that we can do better.
We can do better by reducing the harmful, divisive rhetoric that comes from not only our candidates, but their supporters. We can realize that collaboration and cooperation are far more effective than dumping money into hating those who disagree with your point of view. We can view compromise as an effective way of governing rather than a sign of weakness. And we can find candidates that actually represent our interests rather than those who crave power.
Maybe I'm naive, or maybe I'm just tired of this election cycle. Maybe I have too high hopes for 320+ million people, and maybe this is who we really are is a country. I can't tell you who to vote for, and I won't say who I'm supporting.
But we can do better. And after the dust settlers tomorrow, that's what we should do.
P.S. - Tomorrow the title of the last-ever episode of The West Wing...an episode that finishes a series with a hopeful outlook for the country.