I wrote this before the polls closed, and instead of having a Dewey-Truman moment by picking the wrong winner, I decided to speak to both the winners and losers of Election Day. I don’t mean to sound insulting, but politics is a game that someone loses and someone wins. But, it’s when we put our personal emotions into the game that nasty, hurtful things are done and said. Therefore, to all of you who won or lost yesterday:

To the winners,

Enjoy your moment and bask in the glory of knowing that your candidate and philosophies were victorious on Election Day. However, keep in mind it is very likely that by mid-term you will be disappointed in your candidate and will have been let down by him/her several times as they attempt to balance the ropes known as American politics.

To the losers,

The world is not over. The Democrats swore we wouldn’t survive George W. Bush’s second term, and the Republicans swore the world would end after four years of Barack Obama, and our economy still runs the world. We aren’t the same country as we were before each of those men took the oath; however, we never are after any president leads this nation through whatever crisis is thrown their way. By the way, in the election of 1800 President John Adams said the infantile America was finished if Thomas Jefferson was elected president, and we’re still here, aren’t we?

To my fellow Americans:

Remember, it is the peaceful transfer of power between political parties that makes America the golden standard when it comes to the democratic process. Also keep in mind, that each of us has a right to vote, and as you are reading the paper today the sun still rose, the tides still changed, and politics has been and always will be a messy game. Nevertheless, we are all Americans working to build a stronger, safer nation for the next generation. The stock market doesn’t care which party you are in, the housing crash didn’t choose sides, and a hurricane, be it Sandy or Katrina or Isaac, doesn’t care who is your governor or which state you live in.

As we deal with the aftermath of this election cycle, be kind to your neighbor, respect their right to have a different opinion, and unite behind at least one thing: standing firm in our resolve to do what it takes to maintain America’s position in the world and improve the quality of life here at home.

As always, may God continue to bless America!

Buddy Boe, a resident of Garyville, owns a public relations and program management company and is well known on the local political (and food) scenes. His column appears Wednesdays in L’Observateur.