Ladies and Gentlemen… The President of The United States

In just a few more short (hopefully) weeks, that phrase will apply to a freshmen president. He’ll inherit the economy of not only the United States, but of the entire world. Just a month ago the economic outlook could have been described as bleak. Today the economy can most accurately be described as, “In a death spiral”. He’ll also inherit a national health care crisis and a continuing war in Iraq and escalating problems in Afghanistan. Then there is the energy crisis… high oil prices… do we go alternative or start drilling offshore? Oh, and, then there are the "lesser" issues like gay marriage, abortion, and restoring the ice shelf for the polar bears.

It is a tall order for any man or woman. On top of all the issues the new president will either be the first black man to run the country or the first man with a female vice president. They’ll also be moving into the white house immediately following the election instead of waiting until inauguration day.

Talk about all these issues! No, really, talk about them. This is probably the biggest election season for change since 1980. There are more young people involved in politics than ever. For the first time in 20 years there are more registered democrats than republicans and even the libertarian party has shown significant growth.

Over the past few weeks, we at Public Chalk have been inviting lots of people to join us on-line to offer your opinions and insights during the vice presidential and presidential debates. People have offered some great insights, some good resources, and some hysterically funny comments on the state of affairs.

Another thing that has happened is that we noticed that the conversation about the debate or politics or any of the issues mentioned above continues well beyond the debate. We’d love to hear what you have to say. Join us by following this link to Public Chalk. You’ll be asked to register. Once you do, you’ll be put into the crew that is talking about the presidential race. Don’t like that crew? Create a new one and invite your friends.

Oh, and, don’t forget to get out there and vote! Every one counts.

ETJ