And Miles To Go, Before We Sleep

Mad Dog awakens smiling. The virtuous have triumphed and the vacuous and mendacious have been vanquished.

But Mad Dog is aware of history.  Lincoln won re election in 1864  and two nights after Lee's surrender, he stepped out on a White House balcony and spoke to a celebrating crowd and said he would leave the question of Negro voting to the states, but he hoped that "very intelligent" colored men who had served the Union as soldiers would be permitted to vote. In the crowd below, John Wilkes Booth said to his companions, "That means nigger citizenship. Now, by God, I'll put him through."

So Mad Dog is wary, especially at the moment of joy and victory, and remembers there is work yet to be done.

Mitch McConnell is still the leader of the Republicans in the Senate and still insists there will be no tax hikes for billionaires. John Boehner is still the Speaker of the House and he still says the deficit has to be cut by cutting spending, not by increasing revenue.

The Republicans still control the House and slightly less than half of the country voted for Mitt Romney.

What is joyful is the knowledge there really was a silent majority this time--and it was a liberal, thoughtful majority, not fooled by the prevaricating Republican money machine of super PACs. 

We can hope for a more resolute, less accommodating President, one who has learned from this campaign, and from the first debate: you get nowhere by politeness in Washington. You have to go on the attack. You have to demonize, diminish and throttle McConnell and Boehner, by name and personally, if you want to move forward.  

Mr. Obama has won the election. He now needs to lead.