Hal and I are on a flight to Seattle to visit family. We lift above the frosted foothills, snowy mountains, and an advancing storm front into the blue, blue sky. Below us, in a ruler-straight line along the horizon, whiteness blots out everything. The flight has been smooth so far, but the pilot warns of turbulence ahead.
A great weight has lifted as we celebrate better-than-expected election results on every front. For the first time in a two-year firestorm, hope is a soothing balm, and we’re toasting the future with the elixir of success, a bit drunk in the afterglow.
No matter what you credit for this titanic shift, be it economic concerns, the Nazi-esque roundup and deportation of vulnerable souls, strike-first wars, mafia-style profiteering, the extinction potential of AI, slash-and-burn environmental policies, or all of the above, voters of every persuasion took a decisive step to the left, choosing compassion over vengeance.
But be forewarned. This is not the time to let our guard down. With two years of tyrannical, hate-fueled reprisals to go, we’re still in the vortex of a shit storm. One can only hope the Democrats who take their seats in January have enough support from a handful of moderate Republicans to override the hail of vetoes and executive orders spewing forth from the Oval Office. Fasten your seatbelts.
As we descend into the cloud layer on our approach to Seattle, the pilot’s voice comes over the intercom with that very advice, and the flight attendants make a quick pass through to make sure our laptops are stowed, and our seats are in their upright position. I keep waiting for turbulence, but it never comes. We drop through the cloud ceiling as Seattle comes into view with the reds and golds of fall. Rain streaks past.
So where do we go from here? Do we spend the next two years pursuing impeachment and legal accountability for the whole litany of improprieties undertaken by this administration? And in doing so, can we maintain enough lift to build a durable, inviting platform for the 2026 elections and beyond? How long will it take, and by what means will we “build back better”, or regain the trust of our allies in Europe and Canada? And what of the climate storm we’ve literally thrown fuel on during the past two years? Years we can’t get back.
No matter how smooth the landing of our newly elected congress, we would do well to brace for a gathering storm. Now is the time to intensify our role as constituents by continuing to attend rallies, writing and calling members of congress, and reaching across the divide to encourage an even greater shift from red to blue.
Meanwhile, Hal and I will celebrate the resurrection of democracy with Hal’s kids, take forest walks and jump in rain puddles with our 18-month-old grandson, and remember why we do the work we do.
