There aren’t very many strictly red or strictly blue states. New York in its relative blueness feels like an exception in our country. This election has opened my eyes to how deeply purple our country is.And to me, that’s a sign that our two party system is broken.

Slight digression, if you haven’t checked out purple.com, please do. It’s calming to me for two reasons: it’s a great color and it’s been an constant since 1998 on the ever-changing Internet.

As it stood on November 8, 2016, neither party represented the wants and needs of the majority. It seemed clear that neither candidate represented something America wanted. Casting a ballot, for many people, wasn’t about voting for something but against someone.

To change what our vote means and our government, we the people need to demand leaders and platforms that unite us. As I pointed out yesterday, I have to believe that what has made our nation great is that we are indivisible. Even at the inception of the USA, it was critical for the then disparate colonies and their people to come together. Having lived through 9/11, I know that what made us feel great again afterwards was unity and the strength it provided.

This is not to imply that we should ignore our differences. Unity gained by pretending there is no descent isn’t real.

I’m suggesting that we come together around what we share; and I suspect we share a lot. I’m curious what the map of our country would look like if you could ask people to vote for wants.

  • Do you want access to good jobs?
  • Do you want quality, free education for your children?
  • Do you want to feel safe and secure at home?
  • Do you want to know that you can see a doctor when you need one?

What else do you think most American’s can agree we need and want? Can we get there together?