A Season of Hope

It is pretty easy to be pessimistic about politics these days. Between the bad economy, a government that seems permanently gridlocked, cable news shows that seem to delight in fear-mongering, and political ads that constantly remind us about the worst elements of human nature, optimism is not horribly in vogue.

And yet Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Years are all holidays that, to one degree or another, celebrate hope and renewal. And so I thought it was a good time just to reiterate one of the central themes of Democracy Despite Itself: don’t panic. Democracy tends to work out pretty well. Things look pretty rough right now, but history says that we’ll get through it.

So I wish you all a happy, and optimistic, holiday season.