Down to the wire

As we go to press, we'll have less than a week before we can select our leaders in government for the next years. (Doesn't it seem an eternity since the long, long campaign trail started in the mists of early last year?) We met some stellar candidates, and there have been others who would not fit any bill we could imagine, including dog-catcher. Now is the crunch-time to cast our ballots -- with our very destiny at stake fore the time ahead. We have been dragged through the inanities of campaign ploys -- the attack or demeaning speech against one's character, and some cock-eyed schemes concerning the issues which have been explored and presented as gospel. We have learned to recognize a phony proposition or outright lie from a country mile away.

By now, it should be evident which of the two sets of presidential candidates we ought to choose. We have seen the petty, the nasty and the downright wicked negative allegations towards the opposition. We have endured the fruits of bad judgment in the selection of running-mate on the Republican side, and the preoccupation on alleged early associations concerning Barack Obama. John McCain has evolved from respected hero to snarling rave. Sarah Palin is the joke of the entire affair, with her obvious lack of fitness for the job of potential president. Joe Biden is a strong voice which the people respect, and he will prove to be an invaluable member of the team.

Bearing an epic snarl or scandal serving as "October surprise," we see no problem in venturing an early estimate of winners and losers. First, in times of economic peril, the people have voted against the party in power, and this time may be no exception. I look for a sweep by Obama-Biden as well as a large Democratic majority in the House and Senate as well. This may well be brought about by the significant number of so-called "Independent" voters out there just waiting to leap from the polls to the voting-booth. I look for the economy to pick up somewhat -- allowing for a longer-than-expected period of recovery and losses greater than we thought. But it will happen. I am sure.

The coming months will see a Holiday shopping-slump, less-than-hoped-for pick up in business, and more pump-priming like the "recovery-stimulus" schemes. They will get the ball rolling, and it will be full steam ahead for the generation in charge to show the world how it is done. We wish John McCain an early happy retirement after he serves his current term in the Senate. And we'd contribute to a one-way ticket to Alaska for the nation's happiest governor.