"Here they come down the
back stretch. It’s ‘My Daddy’s Name" by half a length followed on the hip by ‘Stiff Upper Lip.’ It’s going to be close, down to the wire."

If you have ever been to the track to even watch the ponies, you know the thrill of rooting a horse with your interest on it,
if not your money, running to
the finish line. But your thrill might not be so pleasant if
every dollar of your future, were riding on the horse that was running behind. You would want to get down there on the track yourself, spank, spur and do whatever else you had to, to get that nag across the line.

Well we are in a similar situation, whether you want to believe it or not. Election day is on us now. The end of this long, and nasty campaign is almost near. But the horses with the best interest of our communities are running behind. If they lose, in my opinion, it could have the same effect on us as if we would have put our, say houses on the bet.

When I met George W. Bush several years ago, his father was President running against Bill Clinton. He was the part owner of the Texas Rangers baseball team. I knew then he wanted to run for office. Not based on any particular grasp that he had of politics or of the world. It was a "just because" feeling that I had. Maybe because of his dad’s name. He didn’t seem that bright then, and doesn’t seem that much smarter now.

Al Gore has his problems but at least for us there is a record of inclusion, growth and opportunity. But he is in danger of losing this race that could send us back to a place we don’t want to go. The implementation of "compassionate conservatism" in all likelihood will not be compassionate at all.

Bush proposes spending the nation’s surplus through tax cuts that will benefit people who don’t really need the money. He makes appeals to people in this country who have never had the interests of our people. Knowing that, watching the Gore Campaign trailing Bush right now, should be scary.

The biggest albatross for Gore has been Bill Clinton. A man who despite a huge error in judgment still led this country into an era of prosperity, unseen for generations. It is still a weight heavy enough to keep Al Gore behind in this election by about four percent, with almost no time left.

Locally we have to be concerned with the Senate race between Hillary Clinton and Rick Lazio. Despite not being from here I’m sure our interests are safer in the hands of a woman who has championed for inclusion and equality as opposed to someone who sided with Newt Gingrich. So what if she’s not from here. When your house is on fire do you care where the fireman lives? She, though, is in the same position as Gore, based on her same connection to the President. Trailing by a nose, just a few gallops away.

But instead of watching helplessly, skipping, jumping with the all the body language worthy of a photo finish, we can take part in the last run. Get on the phone and call everyone you know to get out and vote. The fight isn’t just here either. If you know folks in other states who see things the way you do, call them, e-mail them, do whatever will their attention.

This election will set the tone of American politics for years to come. Do not allow people with the narrowest of views about what this nation is about, to steal it back. They can only do so through our own apathy.

Remember that dog and pony show called the Republican Convention? Is that what you really want for you and your family?

Use the power of six degrees of separation, tell anyone who will listen or read what you have to say. Tell them not to forget to do what they have to do too. Don’t wake up on Wednesday, look at how close things were and ask yourself "Was there anything I could have done?"

That will be too late.