Final Thoughts

by: nirmal

Mon Nov 06, 2006 at 20:39:03 PM EST

We have all put in a lot of hard work into this upcoming election over the past many months.  With things trending in our favor, that work appears to be paying off.  People understand that we cannot move our state forward under the current status quo, and that electing Democrats will help to bring the change that we need.  They understand that the future of our state is in our hands, and not those of fancy lobbyists and narrow-minded special interests.  Most importantly, they understand that we have some real choices in these races, and that our choices tomorrow will determine the direction of our state for many years to come.

Despite all of this, we must keep working to close the deal.  We cannot make the mistake of being complacent these next 24 hours.  It would be awful if we nearly had these races, but lost them in the last moments because we didn't work hard enough.  It is our duty to not only vote, but to turn out our supporters so that we can ensure that our values are represented in our government.  When it comes to Prop. 2, Bouchard, our state legislature, and the Amway Guy, nothing less than our very way of life is at stake.  Michigan is worth fighting for, so let's get out there and fight!

That brings us to election day.  Hopefully, the results will be good to us.  Maybe they won't be.  Regardless of what happens tomorrow, our work continues on November 8th.  We are a long-term movement and must stay organized if we want to outlast this election cycle and become a coherent political force in Michigan politics.  While tomorrow's election is very significant in itself, what happens now will also set the stage for many battles to come.  We are going to remain a part of Michigan's political process no matter what the outcome, and I look forward to our discussion about where we go from here after the election.

Finally, thank you all for making the past months such a meaningful experience.  This is hands down the best community on the 'net, and I know that many of us would have stopped blogging a long time ago if it weren't for the advice and encouragement of this incredible community.  I don't want to start listing names because I would inevitably leave someone out by accident, but there are a couple people that I would like to mention:  Matt and Laura.

Matt has sacrificed a lot to keep this website going, and it shows -- Michlib is the best website for Michigan politics, period.  I know I don't just speak for myself when I say that his work inspires us to give blogging our 100%.  Although Laura is not as visible on the front page, she does an incredible amount of "behind-the-scenes" work to develop the Michigan "netroots" that deserves to be acknowledged.  If it weren't for her advice, e-mail updates, and logistical tips, I might not have ever made it off the ground.

Anyway, that's enough babbling from me -- good luck with your races, and I'm sure we'll be talking and analyzing the results soon!