Wish it were that simple. Unfortunately, Main Street and Wall Street are inextricably linked. If credit markets aren't working Main Street business men and women can't get the funds they need to maintain and grow their businesses. They have employees who have families. They have suppliers who have employees who have families. And on and on. The housing meltdown impacts funding for schools because most funding comes from real property taxes. I know that my school system is in for a very rough ride over the next years. Is this what they meant about the wonders of trickle down economics?

What do the conservative repubs want? Well, turns out that the letter from academic economists from some of our top schools (I guess they do not mind elitists when they're on their side) from was from "Chicago-school" type economists (talk about corrupt Chicago types!). Thanks but no thanks guys - you got us into this mess! What is that definition of insanity?

Ironic that McCain chose Robert Jordan as his hero. The fictional Jordan was fighting in the Spanish Civil War on the side of the Loyalists. According to a book by Peter Carroll, The Odyssey of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade (a brigade of Americans fighting for the Loyalists), Hemingway based Robert Jordan on an actual American - Robert Hale Merriman (who died in Spain). The vast majority of Americans who fought in the Spanish Civil War on the side of the Loyalists were radical leftists. In fact, the Loyalist fighters were an amalgam of anarchists, socialist and communists. Just as Nazi Germany supported Franco and his Nationalists, the Russians supported the Loyalists.

I wonder if John McCain knows the genesis of his fictional hero. I wonder if he knows that in the run-up to the Iraq War many of the surviving Lincoln Brigaders came out and protested against the war.

You make a very good point. WWII veterans and POWs rarely speak either publicly or privately about their experiences in the war. About 10 years ago a friend of mine self-published a collection of stories from her father and those he served with. She said that the first time she heard these stories was when she started doing the book. Even then, most of these men were reluctant to say much. And she had to do a lot of coaxing. Some of the stories were harrowing, some were uplifting, but all of these men did not see themselves as heroes but simply men doing their jobs.

I recently met a neighbor who is a WW II vet. I asked him where he served. He told me and I am pretty sure given the places and dates that he served with Patton. Well, if that had been me I would have been all over that - hey, I served with Patton!! Not this guy - he was a humble soldier who did his job not for glory but for country.

"Do you really know who he is and what he believes?"

Uh, yes. And Mr. Krauthammer would too if he'd ever bothered to read the wealth of material out there that very clearly tells us who Obama his and what Obama believes. But Krauthammer's got his story and he's sticking to it regardless of facts. I have yet to understand why this stupid, nincompoop has the privilege of having is views aired in newspapers and on television.

Obama will win Virginia! I am proud to be a Virginian. How many of the people who were key to founding our great nation were from Virginia? Jefferson, Madison, Marshall, Monroe, Mason... . This is our heritage!

We are not just a bunch of redneck, hilbillies. No, we are smart, down to earth, no nonsense people. And we know what is what! We will vote for Obama because we know the real deal when we see it!

Obama will win Virginia!

or be complacent. We will, however, remain upbeat, positive, and enthusiastic. In Virginia, not only are those of us who have been active for a long time ramping up our efforts, everyday new volunteers join us. Some of them are people who just 2 weeks ago adamantly said they would do anything but canvass are now out there - enthusiastically - canvassing. So, there will be no counting votes before they are cast and between now and November 4th everyone must give 250%, 24/7 - and that is what I and thousands of other volunteers across Virginia (and millions across the country) will do.

I disagree. For everyone's sake I hope that the economy does begin to turn around even if that helps McCain. Although economic meltdowns can happen quickly, economic recoveries take much longer -we just lost 50% of our retirement account - how quickly can that come back? I do think that so many people are paying more attention this year and will continue to pay attention. Of course, anything can happen - maybe some of the mud will stick. Maybe an insignificant number of voters will be swayed by the mudslinging (but that does not appear to be happening) - only the people who were already going to vote for McCain care about that crap.

BUT - no victory laps, no celebrations. They can wait until the evening of November 4th. We win if we remember that you play smart, you play hard until the game is over. And we will remember that. And we will win.