Election 2000 will remain in the minds of
Americans and the people around the world for many
years. The closeness of the race and the Constitutional
challenges are not the only significant issues.
Few people realize the price tag of this campaign.
Roughly, the Bush and Gore campaigns spent a record
$3 billion in their pursuit of the Oval Office.

In the 1980s, under the Reagan administration,
the country racked up some of the largest government
deficits in history. Under the Clinton administration,
the nation has prospered. We now have the greatest
federal surplus this country has ever witnessed. It is
not a coincidence that the politicians are deadlocked
at this time. It's all about the Benjamins, baby!

Republican leaders say this political confusion presents a danger to the economy. The stock market has been sliding since Labor Day. On Friday, Nov. 24th, the traditional opening of the American holiday shopping season, we saw an extraordianry display of consumer confidence. Illustration A (at right) shows hungry holiday shoppers waiting for a local mall to open its doors in North Carolina. The media reported similar shopping behavior around the country. In many instances, crowds began lining up around 5am.

In Denver, Colorado, excited shoppers nearly trampled mall employees tasked to open the doors (shown in Illustration B). Consumers do not seem bearish in the Rocky Mountains. In other locations, there were organized and festive activities designed to entertain shoppers waiting for the opening of the holiday fun.

CNN reporters interviewed a shopping couple in Glendale, California. When asked about their preferences, the two shoppers noted that they were interested in "toys, toys and toys" (see Illustration C at right). The CNN report noted there were 1000s of shoppers lined up ouside the Glendale Plaza in the early morning hours waiting for doors to open. Retail experts expect shoppers across the nation to spend on average $836 per person this holiday season. This estimate is about 3-4% higher than last season.

Last year, an reported 20 million people shopped online for their holiday purchases. Experts expect this to nearly double this season as over 35 million people should make online purchases. Amazon.com, the online retail flagship, reportedly crashed on Friday due to overwhelming demand. The holiday shopping period is critical for both online and traditional retailers, as some businesses realize about 50% of their annual revenue in the fourth quarter spending madness.

While politicos and media pundits continue to talk at each other on the various radio talkshows, newspapers and TV programs, Americans seem relaxed, optimistic and ready for holiday festivities. The election may be dragging on for some; but for others, it is only a faint whimper in the crisp holiday air. When reporters question shoppers whether they prefer Gore to Bush or Bush to Gore, most now answer they are more concerned about the options on the Sony PlayStation or Nintendo 64. A Republican friend of mine said early during this election stalemate that the people generally get it right -- it seems he was correct.

Actual Palm Beach Florida Ballot

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