Opportunity

Publisher, HME News By the time you read this, the 2004 presidential election will be just days away. It's certain the results will impact not just the conduct and appearance of government in general, but the HME business specifically. Here at HME News, the election has been a topic of lively debate around the office for some months. In this issue, we try to shed some light specifically on how our industry will be impacted by each presidential candidate. If you haven't already done so, I urge you to read Dave Williams' front-page article analyzing each candidate's position on issues of importance to our business. Also be sure and check out our NewsPoll and Jim Sullivan's editorial above. In a much larger context, this is a rapidly changing world and the pace of change seems to be accelerating. Just think of how different things are today than they were four years ago. While one can argue that much change is driven by forces outside our control, a presidential election is the one opportunity we all have to make a statement about how our country wants to respond to the challenges, known and unknown, we will face in the next four years. Given the challenges of the past four years, it seems important to me that we as a nation speak with a more unified voice, along with respect for the “loyal opposition”. That one voice will come forth if whoever is elected president is elected with a clear majority of the popular vote. And the voter turnout must be large enough to represent a preponderance of registered voters. So, you've heard it before, but I'm going to say it again. For the good of us all, study the issues, make your decision and get out and vote on November 2. We're counting on you!