Sweet Shoppe Designs

I felt like I wanted to document a little bit about the current election for our kids.... I wanted to be realistic and frank about some of the current issues we are facing but also convey how proud and lucky we are to be a part of this great country.... probably could have written a short novel.... a hard thing to capture in one page....

Politics as Usual by Penny Springmann

Journaling: The 2008 Presidential election is less than two weeks away, and regardless of which direction our country votes, we are going to experience history in the making. We will either witness the election of our first African American president or the election of our first female vice president. This will be a historical election for many other reasons as well. Our new leaders are going to have a tough road ahead of them as they tackle some key issues that will surely have a significant impact on this great country. We are currently experiencing, what many financial experts refer to as, "the most severe economic crisis since the great stock market crash of 1929." The housing market slump is having a devastating impact on families across the nation. The War in Iraq is ongoing, and difficult decisions are ahead for our new leaders as to when and how to withdraw our troops from the Middle East. Gas prices have sky rocketed over the past year, and there is a great deal of concern and debate over our dependence upon foreign oil. Concerns about the environment are escalating. Our health care system is, in many ways, broken and in desperate need of reform. There is ongoing debate over how to address the educational needs of our children and use our financial resources wisely so that we can provide all American children the opportunity to receive a world class education. Although this list may seem daunting, I am thankful every day that I am an American. We have some work ahead of us, but this is still the greatest country on the planet. We have freedoms and opportunities that others would find incomprehensible. It's easy to take it all for granted since we have "always" had it.... But we must never forget the great men and women who gave their lives so that we can enjoy living freely in the United States of America. I hope that good will come out of this difficult time.... That we will all be inspired to look within ourselves and consider what's truly important, and adjust our priorities appropriately, so that we can keep this country on the track toward greatness. And, I hope and pray that our newly elected president and vice president will lead the way for us.