( CNN ) -- Let 's all stop for moment , catch our breath and take in the magnitude of what is happening . Before we jump from campaign frenzy to post-election celebration -- or disappointment -- we should not let Election Day pass without pausing to really absorb what an extraordinary thing democracy is . The idea that the people have a right to decide who will govern them , that the men and women who want to become president have to undergo a grueling , months-long job application process , engaging with citizens , trying to persuade everyone , rich and poor , young , old , men , women -- everyone -- that they deserve the position , is a truly remarkable reality . It is also a contagious idea that has spilled across the surface of the Earth like water seeking its natural level . But it is not a self-occurring , automatic state of affairs . Over the centuries , the strong simply seized power , and the masses regularly endured unjust rule . Democracy has come because of enormous effort and sacrifice . And in too many places , many are still struggling , even dying , to claim it as their own . America 's democracy is flawed , yes . But it is nowhere near so flawed as to be rendered meaningless or beyond repair . President Obama : My vision for America . Those who have spent their whole lives living under a democracy , or who have never witnessed the passion with which those living without it can yearn for a legitimate government , may not grasp just how stunning it is for all the people to have the power to choose their government . History , even recent and still-unfolding history , is filled with examples of dictatorship and tyranny . And it is rich with stories of courageous efforts to bring it down . No one who remembers what happened in China in 1989 can take democracy for granted . Hundreds of thousands of students took over Tiananmen Square , erecting their crude Styrofoam and papier mache replica of the Statue of Liberty , the Goddess of Democracy they called it , smack in front of the giant portrait of Mao Zedong . They declared that the goddess announced to the world that , `` A consciousness of democracy has awakened among the Chinese people ! The new era has begun . '' It was not to be . Within four days , army tanks trampled the statue , along with hundreds , perhaps thousands of demonstrators . Today , the article you are reading now may not appear on Internet searches in China , which block the word `` Tiananmen , '' along with efforts to bring democracy . And who can forget the first multiracial election in South Africa ? That day in 1994 , voters lined up for miles as far as the eye could see , some waiting as long as 12 hours to cast their vote . The winner was Nelson Mandela , revered to this day as a symbol of equality , reconciliation , non-violence and an unbending determination to make the privilege of democracy apply to all the people . Mitt Romney : My vision for America . The passion for democracy among those who do n't enjoy it can seem naive to those who have seen its flaws . I remember interviewing women in Kuwait seeking the right to vote in that emirate 's very limited democracy . What if after gaining the vote they would not make any progress , I asked . Their answer revealed complete faith that democracy would bring the best outcome . Then we just have to work better , harder , to explain our positions to voters , they said . More recently , the images from Tahrir Square in Cairo inspired the world , as Egyptians sought to overthrow a decades-old dictatorship as part of a wave of revolutions across the region . We have followed with nervousness the unfolding uprisings in other parts of the Middle East , wondering whether democracy will emerge victorious . Not everyone who fights against the existing tyranny seeks democracy . There are those who would like to impose their own ideas of how the people should be ruled . 21 moments that defined the campaigns . After all , we now accept as obvious the belief spelled out in the U.S . Declaration of Independence that governments derive their power from the consent of the governed . But that is truly a revolutionary vision , one that turns the concept of power on its head . In fact , it is a majestic idea , one that seems so romantic as to appear utopian , unreachable . And it is certainly not easy to achieve in all its fullness . It 's worth remembering that the proposition does not refer just to elections . Choosing a president and other representatives of the people to govern is just the first step . The true objective of the exercise is to establish a government that will work for the benefit of society or , as Lincoln so perfectly expressed it , `` a government of the people , by the people , for the people . '' For a reminder of how drastically different this could be , think back to the start of the Arab revolutions , when Mohamed Bouazizi , an impoverished Tunisian fruit vendor trying desperately to make ends meet , set himself on fire after an official capriciously confiscated his fruit cart and weighing scales . Your take : Should we have polling places in churches ? It means that after a government takes the reins , the country has a right to expect it to function for the benefit of the nation ; that when the government fails , the people have a right to be outraged and demand results . In a few hours , the polls will close across the United States , results will begin pouring in and a large part of the population will feel deeply , painfully , angrily disappointed , while a slightly larger portion will burst into celebration ( unless the election brings another excruciating delayed decision ) . So , let 's pause briefly to experience a sense of awe for the system . After that , the time will be right for a new push to repair its many flaws . Frum : Our voting system is a disgrace . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Frida Ghitis .
Frida ##n : Pause to marvel at democracy , where governed by their leader . She says idea contagious , similar to Tiananmen Square , South Africa , Prague Spring . She says elections only first step ; idea is a government that works for society 's good . Democracy : At election , reflect on majesty of democracy , then get to working to fix its flaws .