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After decades of steering America dangerously to the right, the Republican party suffered a rejection that will leave it in the wilderness for the foreseeable future.

Finally, the dominance of conservatism has come to a screeching halt, leaving the Republican party, the party of the Christian right, trickle-down economics and hawkish foreign policy in disarray.

It was, in a sense, the American version of our 8 March political tsunami.

So of course, there are parallels that can be drawn, and lessons we can learn.

Like Umno and the Barisan Nasional, the Republican party of today has become a party that thrives on fear and division. It was red state versus blue state, small town versus big cities.

Barack Obama is not a patriotic American, they argued. He has Hussein for a middle name, and is a closet Muslim.

He's an elitist.

Or a socialist.

If Obama was Malaysian, he'd probably be accused by Umno of being a traitor to his race, an agent of the Jews and an American puppet.

And it would probably still work.

But the Illinois senator's triumph shows that when people become more educated and informed, they become less susceptible to fear, and more secure about their economic and political situation, as well as their cultural and religious beliefs.

That is why I believe politicians whose platform consists of racial supremacy depend on keeping Malaysians ignorant. Maybe that also explains the state of our education system.

But Umno needs to realise that if it continues to pander to the extreme elements of society, it too will one day become like the Republicans today, a party on the fringe. It's a lesson it should have learnt after 8 March, but clearly didn't.

The resounding Democratic victory also offers lessons for Pakatan Rakyat parties: Don't accept conventional wisdom as gospel. The American electoral map has largely been static for the past few decades-some states are solidly Republican, others Democrat.

The ones that can go either way, swing states, then become the focus of both candidates.

But something interesting happened with the Obama campaign. He decided to challenge the status quo, spending time and money on solid Republican states, matching his rhetoric that there is no blue or red America.

It paid off, and the US electoral map, which has its roots in the Civil War, has finally been redrawn. Obama even managed to win Virginia, the former capital of the pro-slavery Confederacy, which has never voted for a Democratic president since 1964.

Imagine DAP winning in Terengganu, and you get an idea of how implausible that victory was.

Part of Obama's success, I believe, comes from the courage of his convictions. For too long, the Republicans have portrayed the US as a centre-right nation, leaving the left-leaning Democrats always on the defensive about its beliefs.

Unsurprisingly, the party was viewed by many of its own supporters as spineless. Plus, backtracking doesn't inspire confidence in those you're trying to win over either.

But Obama dared to voice his opposition to the Iraq war when it was considered anti-American to do so. When the war became unpopular, his dissent became proof of his good judgement instead.

Pakatan should bear this in mind when facing its political enemies. If Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim feels that appointing Low Siew Moi is the right thing to do, he should unapologetically make the case to the Malay community.

The softening of his position simply gives credence to his opponents' call for racism to triumph common sense.

At the same time, it weakens the support from those who want an end to the cancer that is racial politics.

If Pakatan truly wants to make Malaysia a more inclusive, progressive nation, it needs to courageously convince the Malay community that it only stands to benefit.

Zaid Ibrahim's recent speech on ketuanan Melayu was so powerful because he refused to mince words on what he believes is true.

Of course, not all Malaysians will accept transformation. But the world is changing, and Malaysia is no exception.

The US elections marked a generational shift, as a new generation of voters joined the electorate, many of them inspired by Obama's candidacy. His campaign made registering new voters a priority, and appealed to the young by talking about relevant issues like jobs, technology and global warming.

The campaign also used 21st century tools like the Internet and mobile phones to not only disseminate information, but also to mobilise, organise and raise funds.

These are all ideas that Pakatan parties can emulate. Older Malaysians are stuck in their ways, but the younger generation is less weighed down by the baggage of history.

And young Malaysians, if there's anything to learn from the Obama victory, it is that you can make history, that the future isn't destined to be a repeat of the past.

Unsurprisingly, the Obama victory has made minorities in Malaysia wonder if a non-Malay can ever become Prime Minister.

This, I believe, is a silly question to ask.

Instead, we should be wondering if we have produced a leader who can connect with the majority Malay Muslim population and win enough support from the community.

Someone who inspires all young Malaysians to get involved. Someone who appeals to our hopes and dreams not our fears.

Someone who breaks the racial barrier while making race a non-issue.

Because that's what Barack Obama did. Until we produce a leader like that, I think the question is moot.