Celebration

Last week, by way of celebrating the 2006 election, I decided to rip the bumper stickers from the back of my car. I easily removed one. But the red, white and black No-W sticker had fused with the green plastic of my bumper, and most of it still remains.

Years ago, at the beginning of the spring track season on a wind-swept high school track on the south side of the town where I grew up, I ran a half-mile race. On the final turn, I left the others behind, sprinting down the final stretch to win. I can still see the smile on my coach's face and the pride in his voice as he talked about the season ahead. That was the last race I won.

There are many ways the new Democratic majority could define winning in the near term: passing progressive or environmental legislation, helping to solve the Iraq debacle, reforming the corrupt Washington political machine, controlling our budget deficits, holding hearings and issuing subpoenas, or even winning the presidency in 2008.

Alas I fear they are up to none of these tasks. I fear that the 2006 election could prove to be like that race of mine years ago. I didn't follow up. I didn't put in the time. I didn't work hard. And in the end, I didn't win again. In my darker moments, that is what I think of the Democrats.

In that sense, perhaps it is fitting that my protest sticker wasn't quite willing to come off. My celebration might have been premature.

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Inspiration: georgia10's words on DailyKos: the crown of laurels feels a bit awkward on a head which has hung so low for so long.

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