An American awakening

History has just been made. The people of the United States of America have elected our first African-American president.

But that is not the only historical factor at play here. Barack Obama's overwhelming victory over John McCain is a sign that America has finally awoken from its fear-induced coma. America has searched its soul. And America has recovered its conscience.

The American people have had enough of the politics of fear.

The American people have had enough of the partisan finger pointing.

The American people have had enough of the Karl Rove style of dirty campaign smear tactics.

The American people have had enough of the lies.

The American people have had enough of the "maverick" nonsense.

The American people have had enough of Sarah Palin.

The American people have had enough of the cowboy-style foreign policy and drunken-sailor spending habits that have turned this country from a glowing land of opportunity into a rogue nation with a huge pile of debt.

The American people have had enough of being held hostage to the oil companies.

The American people have had enough of paying taxes that will be spent to fund unnecessary wars, never-necessary torture, and warrantless wiretapping instead of on health care, education, and renewable energy.

The American people have had enough of the tax breaks for companies that send our jobs overseas.

The American people have had enough of the tax breaks for billionaires who can afford to pay their fair share.

The American people have had enough of the government bailouts of financial institutions that gambled away billions, without including safeguards to prevent the same from happening again.

The American people have had enough of a neocon-fueled White House run amok.

And perhaps -- dare I say? -- the American people may have had enough of knee-jerk racism, mindless bigotry, and senseless intolerance.

The tide is turning.

Let the cleanup begin.