Post-election political discourse

My sister called me yesterday in some despair; as many of you know, she's about your age--a college student at the Univ. of South Carolina. In her dorm, in her group of friends, and among her Facebook networks, have descended into shouting and name-calling after this election--with both sides bearing guilt. Similarly, I saw a many disgruntled faces across this campus yesterday. And that's natural; losing sucks, in politics, sports, the workplace, whatever. However, partisan hollering provides little headway.

For those of you who were ardent Obamaniacs: take this victory with some humility, because the road ahead is going to be nigh impossible. And remember: a vote for McCain does not equal a vote for racism. That's just dumb.

And for those of you who identify as conservative or Republican: don't despair. Your nation has not abandoned you, and a new socialist moment does not await you. In fact, given your age, the coming years will be exciting to be a Young Republican. Why? Because, after a fairly significant defeat, the GOP will have to reinvent itself, and you will be at the helm of the ship. In fact, nothing yields profound ideas like being out-of-power.

I recommend that each of you, regardless of affiliation, pay close attention to the policies and ideas generated by the serious, subtle and nuanced conservative thinkers who will play important roles in this reinvention process. Read National Review; pay close attention to George F. Will (hardly a young guy, but nonetheless a worthy read) and Kathleen Parker, both of whom write for the Washington Post. Ross Douthat, of the Atlantic Monthly, is excellent, but my personal favorite is David Brooks of the New York Times. I'm including below a link to a Brooks column, The Conservative Revival, in which he argues that the British Conservative Party offers an example from which American conservatism should draw.