The final assault on my Facebook page began Monday, with political pictures, video links, and vitriolic diatribes against all things represented by each candidate, posted by determined acquaintances who are convinced the fate of the free world will be established Tuesday night.  Claims that will brand me as un-American, regressive, or non-Christian have sprouted everywhere.

Regardless of whom is announced as the next President of the United States, we won’t be any better (or worse) off tomorrow night.  What will make (or break) this country is what happens Wednesday, and beyond.

I really don’t care who gets elected President; I’m not particularly impressed with either candidate (FWIW, I’m not a fan of Ron Paul either).  Both Obama and Romney are career politicians, who ideologically aren’t really that far apart, if you objectively examine what they do.  They’re nothing more than blank canvasses painted up by their respective political handlers to resemble the picture which best represents their party’s opinion.  Neither candidate displays much leadership, much ability to work collaboratively to build a workable solution to the very real and complex problems that confront our nation.

If your hope for the future is hanging on the outcome of this election, you’re most likely going to find the next few years very disappointing.  No matter who prevails tomorrow, we’re very likely going to see four more years of the same stuff we witnessed for the last 12:  The prevailing party claiming a mandate for their divisive platform, and the losing party will immediately set out to attack, hinder, and smear any accomplishment of the new President, with a stated principal objective of defeating the President in four years.

Mr. President-elect (whomever you may be):  This country needs an Oval Office leader who can restore some unity and common purpose to our nation.  If you take Tuesday night’s results as a “mandate,” as some sort of ringing endorsement by the electorate for the full implementation of the divisive party platform you’ve been touting for the past months, you’re a fool.  Right now you’re in a statistical dead-heat, with less than 24 hours to the finish.  Particularly given the dissidence of this campaign, you can effectively expect that half of our nation is vigorously opposed to whatever you have in mind.

I pray that Wednesday morning, you, Mr. President-elect, will begin the process of healing our nation.  That has to start with an apology:  requesting forgiveness for labeling your opponent and half of the populace of this country as anti-American ignoramuses.  If your presidency starts with gloating, or pontificating about how you’re going to bring about a bright and glorious future under your brilliant leadership, we, as a nation, are royally, and quite possibly irreversibly, screwed.  If, on the other hand, you begin working with your counterparts, recognizing that we need to develop comprehensive solutions to complex problems in order to bolster our economy, provide jobs for our workers, and health care for all our people, you might just actually make a difference in the next four years, unlike your predecessors during the previous 12.

Both parties have done a great job in the last three presidential terms stonewalling progress in the name of political and ideological purity.  Until being an “American” is more important than being a Democrat/Republican, we will not see progress.  Bush wasn’t able to build his vision of the perfect nation because he had to spend much of his time fending off attacks from the opposition party.  Obama hasn’t been able to bring about “Change” for the same reason.  Guess what:  Romney won’t be able to make a difference either, until the climate in our homes, our churches, our Facebook pages, and our halls of government are cleared of the poisonous crap that we’ve been breathing and spewing for the past 12 years.  We need to stop demonizing those faceless forces of evil that occupy the opposite 49% of the political spectrum from you, and instead recognize that we’re all Americans, citizens of this nation who all have a right and privilege to be heard, considered, and respected, even if we don’t always disagree with them.  Romney can’t save our future.  Neither can Obama.  Only when we, THE PEOPLE, start respecting one another, stop fighting and bickering, finding fault, and castigating our neighbor, will we start seeing improvement.

I’ve spent this political season sitting on the fence, for reasons that are vitally important to me, and won’t completely make sense to any of you.  And I have to tell you that the view from here stinks.  No matter which direction I look, I don’t see brotherly love; I see xenophobic hate.  Wednesday, it’s time for a national attitude change.

Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.  -Jesus Christ, Matthew 12:25