Our opinion

It's still the economy, stupid

This election year, Americans have a lot of concerns and a lot of expectations for their next president.

People are worried about the country and its future; they fret about foreign policy, healthcare, ethics and morality, the environment and a host of other issues.

But, for most people, the economy overshadows everything else.

Macon County is faring relatively well compared to many parts of the country. Even so, "the economy" capped all other issues combined for voters in The Franklin Press' online survey this week.

Given that level of concern, you would expect both major candidates for president to make it their first priority to lay out their economic plans as clearly and fully as possible. And, you'd expect every voter to be able to tell you what those plans are.

Both candidates actually do have comprehensive plans for improving the nation's economy. If you haven't heard about them, it may be that their messages have gotten lost amid a sea of campaign trivia.

We hope that coverage will become more serious and thoughtful as we near Election Day. But there is another good option within easy reach of most of us.

Fortunately, the internet allows citizens to go straight to the source. Both candidates have excellent websites that offer thorough coverage of their proposals. No middleman required.

We encourage every voter to spend some quality time reading through this literature and thinking critically about it. This is a momentous election that shouldn't be decided on the strength of lipstick jokes and preacher exposes.

The websites are at www.barackobama.com and www.johnmccain.com. If you don't have a computer, you can access the web at the Macon County Public Library. Another option is to visit the party headquarters and ask for information. The Republican headquarters is located on Palmer Street in the former B&D Restaurant. The Democratic headquarters is in Franklin Square on the Highlands Road (near Freeman Gas).