The 2008 election settled nothing, not even for a while. Our national politics are reflecting what appears to be going on geologically, on the bottom of the oceans and beneath the crust of the Earth: the tectonic plates are moving.
Meaning of the quote
The quote is saying that the 2008 election did not solve the problems in American politics. Instead, it's like what's happening deep underground - the big pieces of the Earth's surface (called tectonic plates) are slowly moving and changing, which can cause big changes on the surface too. So the problems in American politics are still happening, even if they're not easy to see right away, just like the changes deep in the Earth.
About Peggy Noonan
Peggy Noonan is a renowned columnist and former speechwriter for President Ronald Reagan. She has authored several New York Times bestselling books and was even nominated for an Emmy Award for her work on a tribute to America. With a center-right leaning in her writings, Noonan has maintained a prominent presence in the world of journalism and politics.
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