Over the next 24 to however many hours it takes for all the counting to be done in all the states, there will be here at Daily Kos and pretty much everywhere that decent people gather/write and reflect a lot of stress. A lot of worry. A lot of handwringing, lamenting and especially a lot of fear.
There’s nothing wrong with that. I have a bunch of it going on myself.
However, for those who genuinely love this country (and I assume almost everyone here does, at least in the abstract no matter how much it has wronged our particular in-group(s) or we wouldn't be spending time on forums like this), it is crucial that (in addition to our GOTV work and voting ourselves) we take some of that negative, fearful, energy and engage in what I believe is a required thought exercise BEFORE tomorrow’s results are known.
Ask yourself:
What will you DO if your worst case scenario (which, if its like my worst case scenario, means GOP electoral success and a tighter grip on political power despite all rationality and prayers) actually happens following tomorrow's elections? Each of us can already predict how we are going to feel — but I would submit that we have to also decide, in advance, what we will actually DO, over and above the same-old, same-old lamentations.
Speaking for myself, I've broken the "what will I do" into three subcategories: (1) what will I WANT to do; (2) what will I NEED to do; and (3) what am I WILLING to do (to accomplish the first two.)
This is a big ask, I know. But we are part of the blessed and favored in this country. Many of DailyKos’ regulars have the luxury to blog hear because of privileges that our careers, degrees and licenses and cash over the years have afforded us. That means that most of us will have lots more energy than most of those who will be harmed if my worst-case scenario comes through to think these things through in advance. After all, they have to survive. We have the luxury to also try and help folks thrive. I therefore feel that we just do not have the luxury of pulling out the fainting couches and tearing our our hair and raising a hue and cry *without immediately beginning to do what is needed to be done.*