Top 10 New Years Resolutions for the Political Junkie

The very best New Years resolutions, in my mind, are those that let you turn your vices into virtues. Last year, like hundreds of thousands of others, I turned into a living political zombie, living a half-life in the shadow of the upcoming 2008 presidential election. I lived and breathed election statistics. I watched the news reports with an eagle eye, prepared to bristle with indignation at the slightest hint of a misinterpreted statistic or a twisted factoid.

And I wasn't alone. According to Michael P. McDonald, an acknowledged expert in political science at George Mason University, nearly 65% of the total eligible voting population cast a vote in the 2008 elections. That's up from less than 56% in the 2000 presidential elections. In fact, the total voter turnout in 2000 was 107.3 million voters. In 2008, over 230 million people turned out to vote.

Many of us turned into complete political junkies, switching from our usual nightly news to the 24/7 campaign coverage provided on the cable stations. MSNBC, FOXNews and CNN provided nearly round-the-clock looping commentary on campaign speeches, campaign developments and the latest ridiculous scandals being flung around by the political pundits. If that weren't enough, web sites like the Huffington Post and the Drudge Report let us keep up on the news minute to minute, and sling political arrows at the opposing camps in the comments sections. Watching the election news became an all-consuming passion that made stars of people like Nate Silver, the statistician who gave us FiveThirtyEight.com.

And then it was over. November 5, 2008 dawned and the election campaigns were done. What's a political junkie to do as the New Year dawns - without a major election in sight for two years? These are my Top 10 New Years resolutions for myself and for other political junkies like me who aren't quite sure what to do with themselves now that the elections are over.

1. Get involved with local politics. The presidential elections allowed people to get involved in a huge, world-changing election, but you can be even more effective on a local level.

2. Get out more often. Go to a city council or school committee meeting each month and find out what's going on in your hometown.

3. Declare one politics-free day a week. People do get tired of talking about nothing but politics, after all. Pick one day each week and resolve to do nothing at all political on that day.

4. Turn some of that political energy to another good cause. There are dozens of charities in any town that need your help. Volunteer with one of them and put your passion and energy to good use.

5. Get more involved with your family. If you play this one right, you can turn all of your children into budding politically aware adults. Watch the news with them and discuss what's going on in our world so that they grow up with an awareness of the world around them.

6. Work out more often. Admit it--your workout schedule suffered because you couldn't tear yourself away from the election coverage. Put your new iPod to use by downloading podcasts from your favorite political pundits and listen while you work out on the treadmill or stationary bike.

7. Support a local candidate for office. Politics really does start at home. The people that you elect to office in your home town make decisions that affect your life far more than most federal decisions. Pick a candidate who shares your views and work to get them elected. If you can't find one that represents you, maybe YOU should be that candidate.

8. Read at least one book a week. Go beyond the sound bites and read something in depth. Here's a great list of the Best Political Books of 2008. They'll keep you busy and offer a pretty balanced diet for the political junkie.

9. Stop complaining and start acting. Pick one issue and do something about it. Want a greener world? Step up your recycling efforts. Tougher law enforcement? Join a neighborhood watch group. Pick your issue and find out what you can do.

10. Hold your elected officials accountable. It's not enough to cast a vote and walk away. We got them into office--now we need to make sure they represent our interests. Write to your elected officials. Tell them what you expect. Demand accountability. And if they don't stick to their promises, vote them out in the next election.