As you watch the election results roll in tonight, there will be a lot of angry posturing, name-calling, and frustration. But this is not the America we know, and it’s not the America that matters. Here are a few reasons to stay positive tonight! 

Join Students For Liberty in a conversation about moving forward, regardless of who takes the White House tomorrow morning. And if you need a break from checking the polls, take a minute to go register for #ISFLC17! Early bird prices end tonight at midnight.

#1: Americans are increasingly disillusioned by politics and power – and that’s a good thing.

The rise of Bernie Sanders made two things clear: socialism is pretty popular (at least theoretically) among millennials, and many people distrust those in charge.

Why isn’t she on the ballot?

Corruption, whether due to corporate or political greed, is increasingly important to reform-minded young people. That’s not all bad. As Hillary’s paid speeches come to light, and as her use of a private server has been questioned, it’s caused a lot of former-Bernie supporters and the like to question the role power plays in politics.

Though it may not influence their choices this time around, more people are considering what sort of people should be in charge and how the political system shapes an individual’s character and motives. Seeing their guy lose makes libertarian arguments about the growing power of the presidency more convincing.

Libertarians tend to be skeptical of the way power is used and abused in government, and this is often a justification we give for reducing the size of the state. Now, we’re seeing proposals for criminal justice reform and scaling back the drug war from more corners than ours alone. As non-libertarians see the issues play out, they’re beginning to realize something key: power corrupts and changes people. Politicians don’t focus on doing what is right, but rather what is popular. Realizing this  — and seeing the connection to the size of government — can make a big change in the way we vote and make policy.

#2: Many people don’t feel represented by elites in Washington (and this doesn’t make them evil).

This Cracked article explains it perfectly: the Trump phenomenon shows a battle between elites and average Americans, who feel largely ignored. This doesn’t make them evil (though some might have horrible stances on issues related to gender and racial equality), and this doesn’t mean that they’ll go away after election day. If anything, this election is a reminder that acting like we’re in ivory towers of enlightenment often alienates people and makes them feel unrepresented in our political process.

This Jonathan Haidt quote (see him at #ISFLC17!)  resonates with me more than ever: “Morality binds and blinds. It binds us into ideological teams that fight each other as though the fate of the world depended on our side winning each battle. It blinds us to the fact that each team is composed of good people who have something important to say.”

With the rise of such xenophobia, racism, and sexism in our political discourse, it’s fair to assert that maybe some vocal people in this election are not, in fact, “good people” by any reasonable measure. Still, the vast majority of America does not have evil intentions — and may even have some good points to make. This election is a good reminder of  how important it is to listen and include these people in the national conversation. 

#3: The sharing economy is still growing, still fighting regulation, and still reminding people that connectivity can create efficiency.

Uber and Airbnb are still alive and thriving, providing rides, places to stay, and jobs to so many people across America. Consumers win, competition rises, and quality of service goes up. Uber competitors are even cropping up in places as far away as Indonesia, and workers are gaining astounding financial literacy as they move out of the informal economy and gain access to modern banking and credit.

As cities like San Francisco and New York pass needless regulations and bans, we need to remember: the value created by these innovations is understood by millions of people all across the world, and politicians will be forced to reckon with this at some point. Though politics may be a losing game, most of our life takes place in this sphere of growth and progress. And here, we’ve got little to worry about.

#4: Ballot initiatives are allowing citizen choice and introducing new ideas into the public discourse.

Marijuana legalization, decriminalization, or legalization for medical use is on the ballot in many key states this year, and California’s Proposition 60 is focusing on regulation of condom use in the porn industry. Although these might not seem like the most hard-hitting issues of all time, they’re actually important policy areas for many libertarians. And their inclusion on the ballot is driving some important conversation.

The Prop 60 debate has sparked protests, controversy, and a great deal of political activity from porn performers, which is a good thing – those in the sex industry are able to advocate for their political preferences and utilize social media platforms to make others aware of how this niche regulation would affect them.

California’s Proposition 62 is allowing citizens to vote on abolition of the death penalty, and Nebraska and Oklahoma also have initiatives allowing citizen preference on death penalty matters to be heard. Some states will be contemplating raising corporate taxes, and others will be dealing with allowing more charter schools to crop up. All in all, there’s a lot going on and a lot of opportunities for citizens to more directly advocate for issues they care about. And at least get the debate going on these important issues.

#5: The two-party establishment is beginning to break down.

No, I don’t just mean Goofy Gary. Sure a lot of libertarians are excited that the much-maligned LP candidate is getting so much attention this year — not to mention attracting a fair amount of votes from people usually stuck on red or blue. The real win for choice this year though is the split in both major parties, which saw something of a revolt from their rank-and-file against elite control. Both parties saw a voting base frustrated with the choices thrust on them, and anxious for more of a say in the policies that affect their lives.

Whatever you think about the people they chose to support — Donald Trump at one extreme and Bernie Sanders and Jill Stein at the other — people are beginning to break out of the narrow two-party dichotomy. This might not mean widespread libertarianism (just yet), but it does mean that the failing system of elite control will be challenged.

Bonus #6: Kanye West, Rihanna, Beyonce, Frank Ocean, Radiohead, and Chance the Rapper all released excellent albums this year.

This might not seem directly relevant to politics (in fact, it’s not), but it’s a reminder that creativity and innovation continue even when politics exhausts us. This might have been one of the worst possible elections, but the world around us didn’t stop or explode. Politics, although important, isn’t the only thing dictating our quality of life –– and thank goodness for that.