Sadly, my conservative friends, we have lost the presidential election. Let us not be part of further dividing our already incredibly divided country.

I am as disappointed, sick and depressed about the decision that our nation has made as anyone. Like many, I held a genuine belief that Mitt Romney was the leader that our country needed in the precarious and desperate position that we find ourselves in.

Before being Republicans we are Americans, as is every Democrat, independent, Libertarian, moderate and Green Party member. It is my hope and prayer for our country that every American will quickly come to the realization that we are the United States of America, not the Divided States of America.

This is in no way to say that we should sacrifice our beliefs and principles; we must hold firm to them. History has shown us that free market capitalism is the best path to prosperity, and we must fight to maintain that. It is in the best interest of every American.

The stark reality that we face is real, and it affects all of us equally. The fiscal cliff is looming. Our national debt per person is 35 percent higher than Greece’s. Twenty-three million Americans are out of work and 47 million are on food stamps.

These realities do not discriminate based on party affiliation. The solutions to these problems proposed by the left and the right have been and will be vastly different. We can and we must find solutions to them.

We are the greatest nation on earth and we must prove that through our actions. Every American must lead our leaders in Washington, D.C., by reaching across the street, so that they in turn can reach across the aisle. Most importantly we must know that our hope is not in a single man. We were founded as, and we remain one nation under God.

John Kane Jr.

Raleigh