Decision '08

Thank goodness the political rhetoric is about done and it is now up to the voters of America to decide who will serve our country as the 44th president of these great United States of America. No matter how your stand on the candidates and the issues, whether you are a Democrat, Republican, Independent, or other, I think we would all agree that we need a change from the policies of the last 8 years which has seen our nation plunge into the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression and spend trillions on wars in Iraq and Afghanistan when many Americans are suffering hardships and need help here at home. President Bush, as unpopular as he is, should not have to shoulder the full blame for the miserable circumstances that the country finds itself in. Congress...which, many feel, is more responsive to lobbyists and special interests than it is to the constituents back home has performed miserably as well. Its public opinion approval is even lower then the President's pitiful approximately 24% approval rating. I am not publicly endorsing a particular candidate (I will do my talking at the ballot box or, I should say, the electronic voting machine) but I do think we need to restore some good old- fashioned COMMON SENSE to our government. In is my intention to do my part to try to make that happen by exercising my right to vote in the Tuesday, Nov. 4th election. I urge all of registered Patrick County residents to do the responsible thing and to practice good citizenship by making your choices known at the polls. We will all be participating in the making of American history when we vote in this year's election.

Mock elections in our public schools are often indicative of how our county as a whole will go on election day. Principal Ann Fulcher of Hardin Reynolds Memorial School told me that the straw poll at her school is often a bellwether or a leading indicator of the election trend in the country at large. If that is true, the Republicans will again carry Patrick County Tuesday. Monday morning, on the eve of the election, Hardin Reynolds Memorial School students participated in their annual mock election. With all 12 homerooms reporting, Republican John McCain outpolled Democrat Barak Obama 178-86. The students at HRMS and other Patrick County schools are participating this year in a nationwide mock election involving students from across the United States. "The results are not final due to some of the polls having not opened," said HRMS teacher Gwen Murphy in a Monday morning press release. "We would like to encourage everyone to get out and vote," she added.

Mock election results from other Patrick County schools had not been reported to WHEO at the time of this blog update.

I echo Ms. Murphy's sentiments...please participate in the democratic process that we enjoy as one of our many freedoms in this country. Help protect our liberties, please vote on Tuesday, Nov. 4th, registered Patrick Countians, even if you have to stand in line due to the expected heavy voter turnout in this historic election! America calls upon her citizenry to be concerned and involved in our government! Personally, I am going to ask God to guide me when I step behind the curtain to register my votes. When we do that trusting and believing, whatever life's situation, we can never go wrong! God bless America!

A patriotic Patrick Countian,
Richard T. Rogers