In 1836, Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote the poem, "Concord Hymn", dedicated to the Obelisk, a battle monument in Concord, Massachusetts, commemorating the men that gave their lives in the Battle of Lexington and Concord, the first battle of the American Revolution. This engagement was a decisive moment in our nation's history and the first stanza of Emerson's poem speaks of the "embattled farmers" that "fired the first shot heard around the world". On that day in April, 1775, the common man of Massachusetts made his frustrations known and yesterday he did it again.
With a clap of thunder heard nationwide, the most reliable Democrat seat in the Senate fell to a Republican. Fifty years in Democrat hands meant nothing under the weight of public annoyance. The vulnerability of this seat exemplifies how voter frustration, focused into action can create significant change. Is this the first day of a new political revolution in our country or just the beginning of a season of fascinating debate - time will tell?
Andre O'Brien is a Purple Podium Coach.