After nearly two years of much heated theatrical debate, Americans have now elected with the highest voting turn out ever and by an unprecedented wide margin, an unconventional, yet, nonetheless, popular president, Obama. The people have responded to his economic and anti-war message of focusing instead on the Middle Class and offering a more compassionate vision for all Americans and the world, at the heart of his liberal program. As much as historians may attribute his election to his succinct platform for Change, Obama’s election was equally a genuine testament to the staunch opposition of Americans to eight years of failing foreign policy as evidenced by pre-emptive wars of aggression and incapacitating domestic policies relying on tax breaks and bailouts for the super rich and mega corporations. The erosion of civil and constitutional rights through massive surveillance and eavesdropping, as well as employment discrimination driven by right neoconservative religious fundamentalist ideologues, was also a major ingredient in the election outcome. Americans have again reaffirmed to themselves and to the world their commitment to fairness, justice, equity and equal opportunity, by electing Obama despite the futile efforts of the right wing to defame Barack Hussein Obama II, as half-black, Moslem, African, etc. The election outcome was not influenced so much by black or white but rather by Green (financial crisis)! Ironically, the painful socio-economic and political crises and the heavy burden of paying for overseas adventurism under our otherwise noble name, has united us together to demand fundamental reforms in our government and the sustainable quality of life for all.

The people at the end of the day are the real winners of this election. They have put business as usual behind them, and envisage an America that empowers all its citizens, irrespective of the usual divide and conquer clichés of race, religion, and national origin. Another result is the emergence of consensus for the need for alternative political third parties, public political campaign funding, election reforms and term limits. The people now want their elected, leaner government to be more efficient, responsive and accountable while facilitating the sustainable development for the Nation as a whole. The orderly withdrawal of our armed forces and the criminal prosecutions of Wall Street culprits are, therefore, the prerequisites to regain the people’s trust in our government.