Abstract :
Elections are being held this month in the United States. The people will select the nation\´s leader for the next four years. The virtues of the candidates are being hotly debated (they are also hotly debating each other). Two issues at the forefront are the economy and health care. Each of these issues, however, affect a laundry list of other matters (declines in the real estate market; stresses of modern living on the environment; energy consumption and conservation; an aging population; the costs of educating one\´s children; etc.). Both sides understand the importance of strong international alliances, recognizing that no nation can flourish today in an hermetically-sealed environment. Both political parties are attempting to be seen as "change-makers" and are pledging fresh approaches unaligned with the current political norms.
