And that's a good thing.
Power will change hands in a few weeks in America, and not one drop of blood will have been spilled to do it. Compared to other ostensibly democratic nations, the fact that intimidation was not widespread (and dealt with swiftly where it was encountered), and there was not any sort of civil unrest that resulted from a popular or unpopular decision being made, America has this democracy thing pretty well figured out.
I mention this, because people in some other democracies question how we can claim such superiority when we can't even figure out one universal method to elect our leaders (paper ballots in one state or precinct, electronic voting machines in another, and mechanical machines in another, etc).
But our elections have always ended in a peaceful transition of power. That is why America has kept superiority in the realm of democracies.
And, though I dislike the man's views, and will likely have serious issues with his policy decisions, Barack Obama (one of the last times I will not refer to him by his initials) will be my president. No, I did not vote for him, and no, I do not support many of the tactics that were used to ensure his too-quick rise to power.
But I live in a democracy. And the majority has spoken, even if I don't like what was said.
As long as Obama is president, he will have my support and defense, inasmuch as I do not live in some alternate United States where he is not MY president (as many felt about George W. Bush).
That doesn't mean that I will agree with, or even like him. That just means that I recognize who he is, by virtue of the system of government that I choose to live under and participate in.
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