"Yes, Virginia..."

...I have been away for a week. And I have nobody to blame but myself.

I knew that "the one" or "the Obamessiah" would win the election. Too many people bought into his line about how a vote for McCain was a vote for Bush "by proxy." I'll be blunt in that if McCain had been running against Joe Lieberman (and at least I spelled his name correctly this time!) I would have voted for Mr Lieberman. Had Mr McCain been running against Gen. Powell, I would've voted for Gen. Powell in less time than it takes to blink. Seriously.

But Mr McCain wasn't running against Gen. Powell because the General wasn't running. He was running against Obama. And I could not have voted for Obama if you had been holding a firearm to my head and told me you were going to kill me or somebody close to me. For me, it wasn't about colour or gender. Sadly, too many people still believe otherwise. The facts, of course, speak differently, yet apparently facts do not matter to some people. That is their loss.

I've said it before and I'll say it again; I regret having voted for Bush the second time. But I did, and I cannot change the past.

I voted against Bill Clinton as well. Nevertheless, when he was elected he became my President. As it is now with Mr Obama. When Obama takes the Oath of Office, he will be my President. I am an American Citizen - and that is not open for debate.

Yes, I have rights as an American Citizen, but unlike far too many others I am also aware that those rights come with responsibilities. I know that that is a politically incorrect word, but there you go. Another politically incorrect word is "consequences. As in "for every action, there is a consequence."

Sometimes you get "unintended consequences," which are called 'side effects' when talking about medicines. How many times have we read the pill bottle only to read that this particular medication might make you drowsy and not to drive or operate machinery? I like Benadryl because it really does help me breathe easier. Unfortunately, I've also learned that I go out like a light after only two tablets. Yes, it helps me breathe. It also puts me to sleep for about ten hours and makes me really groggy for an additional six hours. That is but one example of an "unintended consequence."

I believe the United States will be in for several of these "unintended consequences." I also believe that it won't be pretty.

We've all heard by now about how most people believe we are in a de facto recession. Some are even using the "d" word ... "d" as in depression. Many economists are viewing the troubles as "market corrections," however a small but growing number are viewing the stock market tumble not as a "correction" but rather as a "crash."

Yes, I've been gone for a while, but now I'm back. I didn't vote for Barack Hussein Obama, but when he takes the Oath, he will be my President.

I am an American Citizen and it is my duty. If he calls, I will answer. The answer won't be "Go the (censored) away," it will be "Yes, Mr. President."

Having said that I feel the need to make one thing perfectly clear: I reserve the right to speak out against the President and his actions if I believe them in error. Indeed, while I was in the military I had the obligation to do so provided that I follow the Chain of Command and the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

Obviously, I'm not in the military any longer so those do not apply. That still does not give me the right to go off half-cocked. I have the responsibility to conduct myself according to the privilege of being an American Citizen.

If I believe him or his policies to be wrong I will say so. That doesn't make me disloyal, it means I have an opinion.

Didn't this Nation's Founding Fathers also have their opinions?