Voters have duty to nation's future

Barack Obama spoke to 18,000 cheering supporters, showered with ribbons and confetti and TV ratings soared.

As his wave crested the next day, John McCain selected Sarah Palin for his vice presidential running mate. McCain and Palin spoke to record crowds and gained on Obama in the polls for days afterward.

Then major American financial institutions began to fail. John McCain asserted his continued faith in our economy while insisting he would bring change. Barack reviled the failed economic policies of Republicans, Bush and McCain.

We have seen Obama nominated with Joe Biden as his running mate. McCain was nominated with Palin as his running mate.

Then, "silly season," as characterized by Obama, reigned supreme.

Now the cold rain of reality has begun to fall on the fortunes of investment houses and Wall Street. All that campaigning has been transformed as each candidate struggles to deal with the crisis and to convince voters that he has the answers for our economy.

Nov. 4 will be the most important election for America since that 1929.

This is not an election for "low-information" voters. The future of our nation and the welfare of all Americans is at stake.

Karen Wagner

Rolling Meadows