Decision 2008: Closing Remarks

In a couple of days, Americans will be electing the country’s next president. Democratic Senator Barack Obama maintains a double-digit lead in the polls over Republican Senator John McCain . Also in the running for America’s top executive are  Bob Barr (Libertarian Party), Cynthia McKinney (Green Party), and Ralph Nader (Independent Party). Whoever wins the election on November 4, 2008, the next president becomes the heir to a government defined by an unimaginable challenges to hurdle.

Based on a variety of sources *, here are some of the concerns that are worth reflecting on before heading for the polls on Tuesday below (in no particular order):

Environment: An atmospheric CO2 level of 385 parts per million (ppm); the safe level is 350 ppm.

Economy: Congress decisions on extending President Bush’s 2001 + 2003 tax cuts; a social security program that is expected to pay more in benefits than it take through taxes by 2017 if not reformed; A record of $482,000,000,000 Federal budget deficit.

Iraq/Afghanistan: Troop levels of 140, 000 serving in Iraq and more than 30, 000 serving in Afganistan; 270 detainees who are being held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Energy: A national oil-consumption rate of 20.7 million barrels per day; the country produces 8.5 million barrels per day.

Health care: 46 million uninsured Americans, that is, 15% of the US population (as of 2007).

Education: Below proficient – reading: 68% (4th grade) & 70% (8th grade); below proficient – math: 62% (4th grade) & 69% (8th grade); national high school graduation rate – 68.8%.

Housing: Late mortgage payments at a 23-year high; the lowest home prices since August 2004; foreclosures at an all-time high at the end of 2007.

Trade: In Summer 2008, thousands rioted in Seoul, South Korea to protest government’s decision to import U.S. beef; an international trade deficit of $58.6 billion on average in the first half of 2008, because the U.S. imports more than it exports.

Foreign policy: Approximately 25 severe crises and 6 wars going on in regions around the world, including the U.S-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; the “axis of evil” and beyond.

Crime: The Supreme Court’s 2008 5-4 rulings: that the constitution prohibits imposing the death penalty in child-rape cases and overturning the District of Columbia’s handgun ban.

Immigration: Ongoing construction of the 700-mile, $49 billion fence along the U.S.- Mexico border.

Marriage: States that allow same-sex couples to marry – 2 (MA & CA): States with constitutional amendments banning it – 26.

Women: A supreme court that could seek to overturn Roe vs. Wade ; five justices will be 70 or older by the time the court meets in October, including the oldest member, 88-year old John Paul Stevens — the ages of supreme court justices: 88, 75, 72, 72, 70, 68, 60, 58, and 53.

Public Financing : Revised campaign financing restrictions that prevent congressional candidates from raising money in excess of usual limits in order to compete with wealthy self-financed opponents.

As my last pitch in this final weekend of a long race for the White House, I ‘d like to share a prayer ** from a pocket size, laminated pamphlet given to me by a former colleague named Anne (I heard she eventually joined the religious congregation, “Pink Sisters”) on my birthday when I was in the university and was working as a research assistant for UPEcon-Rockefeller Foundation. I “revisit” this prayer most of the time; and may this same prayer help you, too, not just in making your decision come election day, but also in your daily life.

“O God, author of life and source of goodness. I come to you and implore Your divine assistance; with sincere promise to decide and to do things: not according to what I want, not according to what others desire, not according to my own benefit nor my own advantage, not for profit nor for prestige, but for the common good, especially in submission to Your Holy Will.

I come to You and ask Your divine understanding; with sorrowful heart may I receive your forgiveness: for my rash judgments, for my blinded emotions, for my selfish interests.

Enlighten me with Your truth that I may listen to my conscience, and grant me Your grace that I may follow Your commandments.

I come to you and offer you, my humble Savior and loving Redeemer, my penitent self… make me an instrument of creation never an agent of destruction; help me to assist and serve people, never to abandon them; let me share life, never lead anyone to death.

I come to You and thank You, O God my Father, for creating me, for letting me exist, much more for giving me chance after chance to live.

I come to You my Creator, to let You know I am resolved to respect and protect life. I accept Your special gift to us – the gift of life; this is Your gift of love too.

I pray, may I not lose or neglect Your gift of life; may I value more fully Your gift of love. Amen.’ “

I joined the pollsters bandwagon and created my own non-scientific and groundless scenario, “Itchy Polls ”, with the electoral vote projection using Yahoo’s political dashboard with my initials hidden on the map (Go unearth it!). Do I hear Puerto Rico? It’s fun to do the math, so check it out.

On Tuesday, go out, “follow your itch” and vote!

At the end of all this election excitement, let’s try to divert some of our energies to charitable deeds and donate some of our extra time and funds to the deprived and disadvantaged population around the world. God bless us all and God bless America!

(*GOOD News; **”Prayer Before Making A Decision ”: Text by Fr. Ruperto Santos, STL)