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Thanks for the thoughtful post Travis. Let me counter with my perspective and philosophy.

“Uniting” the country is hard. Involving politicians makes it damn near impossible. They all want to unite under their vision and their power. 9/11 united us because events overtook politicians, and they had to react and respond, rather than posture and preen.

In my opinion, the Democrats’ idea of us uniting is to have us conservatives cave-in on our values and beliefs, and to adopt theirs. That’s not going to happen.

Another big difference is the value I place on individuality. Individual freedom, individual responsbility, etc. I don’t want to be known as part of a larger group. I contrast this with the Democrats who see themselves first through group identity (black, hispanic, gay, feminist, whatever).

I want lower taxes, fewer mandates, smaller government, and fewer intrusions into our lives. I resent (yes, resent) politicians who attain power by a promise to confiscate my earnings in order to bestow it upon their favored constituents.

That’s not to say I’m greedy - I give generously to charitable causes of MY choosing. At least I did (and will) until I see how I’m impacted by a new tax plan.

I’m vehemently against those Democrats that waved the flag and gave glorious speeches in the wake of 9/11, and then abandoned our President and troops when the going got tough. The time for 2nd thoughts was when they were voting to commit troops, not once we’d engaged our enemies. It is and was shameful the way they dumped on Bush, Rumsfield, Powell, Rice, our Generals in-theater, and the troops in general. There was a time when the political opposition would bite their tongues while we had our military deployed (excepting, of course, those that at the courage to rail against action in advance - at least they were being consistent).

What I’ve seen over the past 6 to 7 years coming from the left has been a disgrace. They say they want unity; bi-partisanship; collegial relations; reaching across the aisle. Bull-feathers! I judge on actions, not words. What I saw was a raw, no-holds-barred grab for power.

Enough of my rant. I don’t doubt that you mean well. I don’t doubt that you want a better America. I don’t doubt that you were and are inspired by Obama. What I doubt is that the failed tax-and-spend policies of the left will suddenly begin to work. Socialism didn’t fail around the world because it was the wrong people implementing it - it failed because it kills human spirit. It kills incentive. It tells people that we’re all equal, when clearly we’re not (and haven’t been since the dawn of man). Without incentive, innovation dies. Without incentive, industry dies. Without incentive, America’s place at the top of historical human freedom and achievement is done.

Obama will be my President too. I will pray for him, and I will wish him well. I won’t compromise my values and beliefs for him, however. I do hope he will become a transformational figure; I do hope that the glass-ceiling he’s broken will make more people realize that the ability to achieve is within each of us, and not something you wait to receive; I do hope he’ll walk-the-walk, not just talk-the-talk. But, again, I’ll judge on actions, not words. While cautiously optimistic, I see nothing in his past to indicate he’s anything but an avowed leftist, and we’re in for a tough 4 years.