We've all been hoping for Election 2012 to finally come to an end. No more commercials approved by the candidates, and no more "Questions" to vote for or against. Millions of Americans voted early or savored the excitement by voting on Tuesday, Nov. 6 – Election Day.
By this editorial deadline, the winners of Tuesday's elections were still unknown, but the enthusiasm surrounding the election still lingers. A campaign that started nearly two years ago has taken every bit of energy and attention the electorate has had to offer. It's been a long run to the finish line but the reality is that Tuesday, Nov. 6 actually marked the beginning.
The past four years have not left Americans better off and it's not just President Obama's fault. For that matter, while much blame can be placed on the former Republican administration, all of the criticism does not rest there either. Each one of us has played a role in the mess President Obama was left to clean up and each of us must take responsibility for the role we will have to play in order to make America a great place to live, once again.
Over the past four years, while many Americans have fought to save their homes, or maintain their jobs or find new ones; or filed for bankruptcy or attempted to stay current on their student loans, in the end, we hope we have learned some valuable lessons. The financial crisis that households face should have taught us that we can no longer afford to throw caution to the wind when it comes to managing our personal finances. We can't eat everything and not exercise at all and expect to be healthy, nor can we work hard to get a job and not train hard if we want to keep it or remain marketable. Most importantly, we cannot vote collectively and expect politicians to magically make life better for each of us individually. Staying involved means we have got to pay attention to our leaders and we have got to stay involved in the political process.
President Obama and other politicians on all levels appealed to American voters to stay involved. We agree and hope that the momentum behind this election will continue to influence voters to keep a watchful eye on their elected leaders every day until Election Day returns and to take that extra step to make life better for us all.