Obama’s victory, as well as the increased Democratic majorities in the House and Senate, represents a clear mandate that repudiates the Republican policies of reckless militarism and the redistribution of wealth from the majority of middle and lower-class Americans to a small, wealthy elite.

With the election of Sen. Barack Obama as president, America will finally know what change means.

One change is the end of the conservative Republican era that dates back to Ronald’s Reagan’s ascension to power in 1980. This Republican rule, interrupted by the centrist Clinton administration, culminated in the disastrous presidency of George W. Bush. His administration brought about a tragically unnecessary war, the destruction of the middle class, and the deterioration of America’s standing in the world.

Obama’s victory, as well as the increased Democratic majorities in the House and Senate, represents a clear mandate that repudiates the Republican policies of reckless militarism and the redistribution of wealth from the majority of middle and lower-class Americans to a small, wealthy elite.

Voters have expressed a desire to change foreign and domestic policies so that wars are not entered into cavalierly and government spending does not wind up in the pockets of political cronies. They also want the next administration to prioritize education, health and environmental issues.

Another change that Obama’s election brings is more obvious. Despite the senator’s minimizing of the importance of his race, the election of a black president is a change that this country has long needed.

Since the civil rights movement of the ’60s resulted in the elimination of overt discrimination against blacks, Americans have often disagreed over whether the problem of racial prejudice has been resolved. Much has been accomplished, and people of color have made great strides. But the continued impoverishment of the majority of black people, as well as an atmosphere of inflammatory racially tinged attacks on Obama, demonstrates the persistence of racism in our country.

Obama’s election goes a long way to address this issue.

He seems uniquely qualified to speak from the perspective of a black American, while at the same time he has a direct connection to the white majority. He already is helping this country deal with the transition to a multicultural, multiracial society.

Obama’s unorthodox background as a biracial man from Hawaii upends the conventional wisdom about who is allowed to govern this country.

And that’s the final change — a change in the entire idea of America.

In some significant way, we are beginning a new American era with a clean slate.

Ed Morales is a contributor to the New York Times and Newsday and is the author of “Living in Spanglish” (St. Martin’s Press, 2002). He can be reached at pmproj [at] progressive [dot] org.