Twice tonight, I've assembled exquisitely argued posts regarding the choices we face in this year's election cycle. Twice, I've decided to save my essays in "draft mode", likely never to make it to the site's front page.

Why?

Because no matter what I type, it will inevitably be divisive. I love a good debate, especially with the fine, intelligent folks who might spare a few moments to visit my little corner of the world wide web; but now that we are down to the wire, it's becoming increasingly obvious that there's little room for reasoned debate. I happen to think that both major party candidates pose the very real possibility of making things much, much worse than the Bush 43 or Clinton administrations . . . and they (Obama and McCain) also have the potential to make things much, much better.

The odds, it seem to me, point more toward the notion that whichever candidate we choose, we as a nation have embarked upon a pendulum swing toward severe political unpleasantness that could take decades to correct -- if it's ever corrected. And for all that, history suggests that all *will* get better, but it will, indeed, take a long time. That's another topic for another day.

I may get into these topics after the dust settles from this election. Again, I love to get into a good, well reasoned debate. In the meantime, vote early and vote often. If your candidate wins, whichever one he be, I hope that whatever good you see in him turns out to bear fruit.