post election etiquette
Refrain From Gloating
Everyone enjoys winning; no one enjoys losing. If the candidate you supported won the election, be happy about it but recognize that unless you are the candidate, a family member of the candidate or on the candidate�s staff that no one will congratulate you or pat you on the back. Since no one enjoys losing it is also best not to lord it over others that the candidate they supported lost. Even if it they supported Dennis Kucinich.
Refrain From Being a Sore Loser
Losing hurts, but being hurt does not license you to hurt others. If the candidate you supported did not win, keep in mind that attacking the winning candidates supporters does not reverse election results. It also hurts any chance you have of persuading them to vote for your side in the next election cycle.
Even when Al Gore lost in 2000, there was no call to abuse people who supported Bush or Nader. Alexis D� Tocqueville wrote that in a democracy people voted for candidates who reflected their values. Bush and Nader both supported a value system; that value system appealed to voters. Those values are different than yours are � but that does not make them invalid.
There is always next time
I tell myself that every time the Yankees lose, the glory of being a fan of the Yankees is that the statement is true. There will be another federal election in two years, municipal elections in a few short months. Retool your message, get to know your electorate, get back out there and fight.
