I keep hearing people on both sides saying that the country needs to “come together” and somehow the President is expected to “unify” the nation.  I can tell you right now that it won’t happen.  First, I think there’s a bit of disingenuousness on both sides, since I get a strong sense that both really mean “those idiots need to do it my way” when they say we need “unity.”  Second, I don’t see how the President will be able to work with people who think he’s the second coming of Hitler. 

The ideas of majority rule and mandates also won’t help here.  I find it a bit ironic that the same Republicans who tout that this is a Republic and that mob rule is bad suddenly have found religion on the popular vote.  I seem to recall these same people pointing out how the popular vote didn’t really matter in 2000.  I suppose I’m not surprised.  Still, one of the things I consider a fundamental guiding principle of our Republic is that the minority is supposed to be protected from the whims of the majority.  The idea that the minority is supposed to STFU and sit down is ananthema to our system (despite what I may think about that minority; 55 million of you voted for John effin’ Kerry!?  What were you thinking?!).  To think that they’ll suddenly have a change of heart and go along with the majority is a delusion.  I know that Clinton’s reelection in 1996 didn’t change my thinking.  I wasn’t suddenly going to roll over and “get with the program” based on the whim of the majority (yes, I know it was actually a plurality, but it doesn’t really change my point).

There will be no unity in this country, not with the deep divisions that were highlighted in the recent elections.  To expect unity is to fool onself.