It isn't a religious thing or a west Michigan thing, it's just a personal thing.  Besides, I figure, I've got enough vices already.  I enjoy a cigar every now and again (don't tell my mom... oh, she's reading this?  Hi mom) and I like my music very gangsta and very loud.  Pac's "Where Do We Go From Here" is blasting through the surround speakers and the subwoofer right now (seemed apropos, after Tuesday night).  But no booze.

That said?  I understand the concept of a hangover.  I've spent election nights on the winning side and on the losing side and the latter... never much fun.  Political pros dedicate their entire lives, two years at a time, to a specific goal and it either works or it doesn't.  The highest of highs and the lowest of lows.  And this week was awfully low.  The kind of fall that really hurts.  

Everyone's seen Batman Begins.  Remember the lesson Thomas Wayne tried teaching his son?  "Why do we fall Bruce?  So we can learn to pick ourselves back up."

For me, that starts today.  We've had some time to mourn and some time to tug at our own hair.  Now it's time to direct that energy and to channel it and to pour it into something productive... victory in 2010.  City races.  County races.  The entire state House of Representatives will be up in 2010.  The entire state Senate will be up in 2010.  Fifteen members of Congress will be up in 2010.  The Attorney General and the Secretary of State will be termed out in 2010.  We will finally be rid of Jennifer Granholm in 2010.  

Election Day is November 2, 2010.  That's 726 days from now.  Sounds like a lot of time until you re-read that to-do list.  It isn't nearly enough time to do everything we need to do.  We take things one step at a time and we get this thing done.  If my guess is anywhere near the mark, after two more years of liberal control here in Michigan, voters are going to be clamoring for a new direction.

So where do we start?  Engagement.  Engage your local elected officials at their offices and at their meetings.  Engage your local County or District GOP organization.  Engage the issues and your local Democrats via your blogs and via RightMichigan.com.  

The left is holding all of the cards right now.  You almost certainly have a Democrat in charge of something right in your back yard and you can bet your bottom dollar (that's all you're likely to have left under their fancy new tax plans) they'll be more than willing to toss their constituents under the bus if it advances their big government liberalism.  It's our job to hold them accountable when they inevitably put their own interests above Michigan families.

There'll be a lot written over the next days, weeks and even months about where the GOP lost their way.  You'll hear phrases like "brand ID" tossed around more than the word "change."  (Considering a blanket moratorium on that word, by the way... It's lost all meaning.  It's become nothing but a buzz word.  Swear to high heaven, if I never hear it again it'll be too soon.)  All of those discussions are good and valid and important.  People smarter than me will say things smarter than anything I'm capable of coming up with on my own but before long you can bet your bottom dollar I'll have something to say on the subject, too.  

And that's a good thing.  Go back to that classic definition of insanity.  We need a good long look in the mirror but we haven't got time to sit on our hands, waiting for others to figure out a big, fancy, high minded strategy.  We'll take the time and we'll sort out our internal issues.  Promise.  In the meantime, we need to redouble our efforts to keep the left accountable for every thing they do.  Make them pay dearly for every inch of big government liberalism they promote above the interests of Michigan moms and dads.

Remember how bad it hurt Tuesday night?  Remember that frustration you felt when you woke up yesterday morning?  THIS morning?  Use it, kids.  I don't care if it's your state Rep, your state Senator, your local school board, your county commissioner or the dog catcher.  You've got a liberal pursuing destructive big government policy near you, engage them!  No quarter.  

Put on your hard hat and punch that time card.  It's time to get to work.