The first comment I received from someone not on my television screen regarding the election of Barack Obama as the next president of the United States came via email early the day after the election. It asked simply, “Now what?” Those two words coalesced the questions facing not only our new president, but also the people of our nation, regardless of ideology or political affiliation. Now we wait, I replied, and guard the house, and protect the chickens, and peer deep into the night and listen. It occurred to me that my reply may sound skeptical, indeed fearful, of Mr....