...I must admit that I really don't see any legitimate changes taking place in society for a long time because those same politicians love maintaining the status quo.

I agree that politicians tend to be leery of change, but I don't think that's necessarily the case with this election. The Iraq war has been and continues to be a horrendous catastrophe, and most of the Republicans' domestic policies have worked out little better. Even politicians can become fed up with the way this country is going, and some excellent candidates were elected in this cycle. I remain hopeful that the new Congress will carry through with the change this country clearly wants them to deliver. Of course, if they forget why the voters put them in office, then it will be our task to remind them.

I would hope that voters thinking about the economy would realize that even the best economic policy doesn't work that well when set against a backdrop of rotting education infrastructure and political alienation on a world stage. If you're dumb and your neighbours don't like you, it's going to hurt you financially eventually.