I've always maintained an interest in American politics and elections. Having lived there for a period as a child I feel quite closely connected to events there, and it does us no harm to keep a watchful eye on events in the most powerful nation on Earth. Let us not forget that America's local politics has a global effect.

Can that effect now change for the better with a revitalized Democratic party?

After years in the wilderness the Democrats finally have a chance to prove what many people have known for years. That they are the political party which best represents the people, the public interest. They now have a chance to show that the Republicans have lied to and manipulated great swathes of the American people for a long, long time. They now have a chance to prove that the Republicans are the party of big business, big business at the expense of the working man and the "family values" they purport to represent. The Republicans have no interest in the common man beyond keeping him down, keeping him quiet and taking his vote.

The Democrats are far from perfect. They too need big money to run their campaigns and they take it from sources not dissimilar to those dastardly Republicans. They are far from perfect, but they're a big improvement.

Now all they have to do is not screw up.

America has spoken and it's not just George W Bush who has to listen.

People want change. So don't morph into the new Republican party. Take the moral high ground, lead by example, be progressive, don't squabble and bicker for the sake of it.

The Democrats have been given an opportunity to reset the agenda. Let's hope they can.