What is so wrong with hope?

My dad and I are at odds. When I was younger, we both agreed on politics. I was in the Marines under Reagan and George H. Bush. I almost cried when Clinton got elected. I believed that the only way to be patriotic was to be Republican.

After 7 1/2 years of George W. Bush, my mind has changed. Bush pushed us into a war that was not necessary. He blew the budget out of the water and increase deficit spending. He increased the size and scope of government. He merged religion and politics. He split our county in two.

Today, I support Barrack Obama, not because he will cut my taxes or will make my life easier. No, in fact, I fully expect my taxes to rise under his administration. I support Obama because he wants to fix the problems we have in this country. He is not resigned to keep our country in war for the sake of war.

You know, there was a time when America did not run rough-shod over any country that disagreed with us. There was a time when we exhausted diplomacy before the use of force. There was a time when we could do anything.

This is the country that put a man on the moon, and that ended the worst war in history. This is a country that sought to bring out the best in people. We looked to the future and saw a "Shining City on the hill" (Reagan said that.)

I want us to be the great country again. I want us to solve the energy crisis, turn back global warming, cure hunger and disease. I want us to remake our economy where opportunity is everywhere. I was us to follow the rule of law and be the land of the free again.

We do these things "not because they are easy, but because they are hard". (JFK said that.)

Looking to the future and trying to make things better is hope. What is so wrong with hope?