I Am A Liberal Because...

So, I just hung up the my picture of Obama and Biden that I received after donating to the DNC. I have this overwhelming sense of pride every time I look at the picture, and I though "I am so proud to be a liberal." But, I started to ask myself why am I liberal in the first place. So much of the last eight years have put liberalism in a context as against Bush and his administration. Yes, we are against many (all) of the things that W has done, but we are for more than we are against. And we stand for a lot.

* I am a liberal because I believe that America can only succeed when we include everyone in our process and our consideration.

* I am a liberal because I believe that success does not come from the top down, but from the bottom up. When the lives of those who are struggling the most are improved, we all benefit. America is the land of opportunity, but everyone is not born with the same access. We can change that.

* I am a liberal because I believe that the government has an obligation to take care of its people. Health Care and Education are a right, not a privilege.

* I am a liberal because I am not afraid to deal in reality. Sex is a reality. Unwanted pregnancy is a reality. We cannot solve the problem if we pretend it does not exist. Education is the key.

* I am a liberal because I believe in every right provided in the Bill of Rights. I also believe in the safety of the greater community. It's illegal to yell "fire" or "bomb" in a crowded building and I'm ok with that. You're not hunting with an assault rifle, so let's be reasonable about how far our right to do anything really goes.

* I am a liberal because I believe in the rule of law, man's laws. You can practice whatever religion you want, just don't expect me to follow your religion or its "laws."

* I am a liberal because I believe that when the government is run by good people, it can do great things. When there are bad people in charge, terrible things happen.

* I am a liberal because I believe in an economy that respects the strength of the individual not the influence of the corporation. Without individuals, every corporation fails.

* I am a liberal because I believe America is part of the global community. We cannot expect to hold influence if we don't also take responsibility. We are all partners and every nation shares in the future of this world.

* I am a liberal because I believe that power and military strength are not the same thing. I would rather speak softly and carry a big stick. Potential to act can be just as influential as the action itself.

* I am a liberal because I appreciate nuance and gray area. Life is rarely simple, and I accept that.

* I am a liberal because I believe that every person is equal regardless of the money they have or the place they live, I believe in a government by, of, and for the people, and that the future can only be better if we work to make it so.

Make no mistake, tomorrow is not the end. It is the beginning.

I would just like to start out an say that I am so proud of the Democrats this year. We always knew we could run a better campaign, that we didn't need Karl Rove and fear tactics to win. We haven't won yet. I'm not counting those chickens. But, we are on the offensive, fighting Republicans on "their" turf. We are going into this ahead, in the best position we've seen in years.

And, thank you, all of those that have volunteered these past 20 months. Not just to those that have volunteered for Obama. Personally, I began this political season in the Edwards camp. But, from the beginning, we have been charged up. We have been ready to put our hearts and souls into electing a Democrat. We have put our divisions behind us and come together around Senators Obama and Biden.

When the votes are counted tomorrow (or next week), we will have our next president, and I believe we will have President Obama.

But, please, don't think the fight is over tomorrow.

This election is round one. The next four years will see an organized, vocal and aggressive Republican minority. They will push back against every plan we have for fixing America. They will not yield to our majority as so many Democrats yielded to them.

Make no mistake, tomorrow is just the beginning. We will need all of our strength, all of our grassroots networks to continue to be mobilized. We need to continue to speak out and support everything we have worked so hard for. After tomorrow, we will have the chance to see our dreams become reality. Fox and Rush and Bill-O will be feeding the fires of their followers. We must continue to outshine them. We must drag them kicking and screaming into the 21st Century. They will hate it and us for it, but it is the only way to fix America.

Barack Obama could not have gotten this far without us. He will not get any further without us. Please, celebrate tomorrow, relax on Wednesday and come back ready for round two on Thursday.