The Ballot Box will phase out December 1st and the NCPR news team will launch a new shared blog that will cover a wider range of North Country topics. <\/p>\n
We’re looking for a name for the new blog: let us know if you have ideas.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, I plan to use the next couple of weeks to wrap up some thoughts about Election 2008.<\/p>\n
My first big take-away is that our democratic system actually works pretty darn well. <\/p>\n
After 2000, with Florida and the Supreme Court intervention, there were a lot of serious questions about the process.<\/p>\n
Could it be fair — and decisive? This election cycle a lot of conservative grumbled about ACORN and about Barack Obama walking away from the public financing system.<\/p>\n
But everyone basically agrees that this time around we got the president most voters wanted.<\/p>\n
Obviously, that’s the first and highest function of the election system. But a close second is public involvement.<\/p>\n
In other parts of the world, elections are brief, tepid affairs. Parties come and go. Technocrats swap offices.<\/p>\n
In America, democracy is one part idealism and one part spectacle. There’s plenty of PT Barnum mixed in with the policy debates. I say that’s a good thing.<\/p>\n
When my 12 year old son is going on-line to watch election-related Youtube videos, that means we’ve engaged our citizens in the business of self-governance.<\/p>\n
That bodes well for the future.<\/p>\n
I’ll have more closing thoughts — but I’d also like to hear yours. Any big take-aways from your experience of Election 2008?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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