'The price and promise of citizenship'

(image credit: www.charlotteobserver.com

I liked Obama's inaugural speech. Specifically (emphasis mine):

"To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West -- know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy." ...

"We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you." ...

"Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control -- and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous."

Good, sound, Republican -- and, more importantly, libertarian -- principles. If President Obama remains true to these words, then he will have earned more than dutiful loyalty from me as is due the office of the president; he will have earned a wholehearted participant.

But the minute I see government expanding, I'm back in the enemy camp. And the minute I see the taint of Chicago-style corruption, the tongue-lashing (and letter-writing) campaign I will unleash will pale by comparison with that I gave forth in the Klintoon years.

On this historic day, like most Americans, I want to believe that not only have we broken a barrier with the first African-American president, that president has stated he will abide by principles and truths that cannot be reneged, and I expect him to uphold his own words. I will give him a chance. But I will not give him a free pass.

Time will tell.