The election is over!! Now what happens...

            The election is over!! Thank God!! If I saw one more ridiculous political ad on TV I might have puked.  This long, bitter campaign feels like it took forever.  Obama and Romney were campaigning since the 2010 midterm elections, if not earlier.  And people wonder why our Congress and government get nothing done?  In England candidates for Prime Minister campaign for 6 weeks and in France Presidential hopefuls campaign for 3 weeks.  Unfortunately that is not how things work in the United States.  Our media thrives with prolonged campaigns.  Just imagine what they would talk about on Fox News or MSNBC if our campaigns were only a few weeks! (Heaven forbid they focus on real news and informing the electorate rather than fear-mongering and partisan politics.)  Imagine what our leaders in Congress could get done if they didn’t have to focus so much time on fundraising and getting reelected. 

            Luckily for the American people the campaigns are over and the elections finalized.  Now we can finally focus on solving America’s problems.  Now is the time to put aside partisan politics.  Now is the time for the sacrifices and reforms that America needs.  And now is the time for Congress to give us a plan for the future, to lift the uncertainty of the fiscal cliff, and to allow our economy to flourish! 

            The election night rhetoric sounded promising.  Mitt Romney urged his supporters and party to work with the Democrats.  Barack Obama spoke not of red states or blue states, but of the United States.  Harry Reid offered his support to work together with Republicans in the Senate.  John Boehner said we must raise the bar and offered the President his help in garnering Republican support for increasing revenues as long as Democrats are willing to decrease spending and reform entitlements.  It seems like a grand bargain is coming after all!

            But all this sounds familiar to the 2011 debt ceiling debacle that created the fiscal cliff.  We hope this time ends with real reform rather than childish finger pointing.  So what did this election change you may ask?  Well not much to be honest.  President Obama was reelected, Democrats still control the Senate, and Republicans maintained their majority in the House.  This was a status quo election; even though, almost every American isn’t happy with the status quo. 

            My hope is that the message has been sent to our government.  They must do something to solve all the issues our great nation faces.  As I have stated before, the only thing holding back the United States is Washington.  I believe the economy is ready to take off.  Corporations have the cash and the desire to spend and hire, and they just need a plan.  Look at any consumer or housing index and you see that the American people are regaining their confident in the economy.

            So the ball is in your court Mr. President, Senator Reid, Speaker Boehner, and all of our elected representatives in Washington.  I urge you to listen to the people of our nation and put aside ideology and politics.  Put aside egos and agendas.  Put America first and work together to help us prosper once again!