House of Representatives

Today, November 4, 2008, is Election Day in the United States.  People from across the country will be going to the polls to cast their vote for President, Congressional seats, State Senate and House races, various local positions, and numerous propositions and ballots.

The roll call for the bailout package vote on September 29 was just publicly released.  I urge all of you on election day (November 4) to consider this roster closely when going into the voting booth. 

Those who voted "Yes" on bill H.R. 3997 were willing to give away billions of taxpayer dollars despite strong opposition against it. Some have said this was the most vociferious opposition to a bill expressed by the electorate since the time leading up to the military activities in Iraq in 2002. 

In a stunning development, the House of Representatives has voted against the bailout package, by a vote of 228-205.  Everyone expected the bill to fly through without challenge, but more than two-thirds of Republicans voted against it and 40 percent of Democrats.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080929/ap_on_bi_ge/financial_meltdown

The Dow Jones in response has dropped nearly 700 points, and the NASDAQ has shed nearly 8 percent.

I've loved sports my entire life. Since my youngest years, I've enjoyed the drama, inspiration and competition in athletic endeavors. My earliest sports memories are of baseball. Long before the Internet and cable television, I'd spend warm summer evenings tuned in on a transistor radio to hear my hometown Tigers play the Indians across Lake Erie in Cleveland.