Three hopes for the election

Don’t think for one second that fans in the stands for the World Series cared who the man or woman next to them would vote for on Tuesday.

All that mattered was which “C” was on their hat.

Whether what followed was jubilation or humiliation, the Series showed yet again that what divides us as Americans — sports, religion, and maybe most of all, politics — can also unite us. If we’re playing for the good of not the individual or even the team but for the whole sport, how can our country lose?

Just as baseball was the big winner last week, so, too, can America come out on top by honoring the process that our Founding Fathers forged and generations of citizens have shaped and respected. Sometime Tuesday night or perhaps a little later, either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump will almost certainly receive the minimum number of electoral votes to be declared president-elect. The loser will face two related decisions: To concede or contest the results and thus, to further divide or unite our country. For a stronger America, we hope unity and graceful concession win out.

While attention has been riveted to the presidential race in all its repugnancy, Republican majorities in both the U.S. Senate and House are at risk Tuesday. Gridlock to some has been critical checks and balances to others. Believing that half the country would be under-represented if one party holds both chambers of Congress and the White House, we hope a Democratic or Republican monopoly is averted.

Our last hope is the most important. It has to do with you.

Despite numerous warnings that prospective voters shouldn’t wait until Election Day to register, we’re certain many will. And at this juncture we say, So be it. Go to your polling place on Tuesday and register. The longer lines and lack of convenience will be tiny prices to pay for our neighbors to exercise the right upon which our country’s liberty depends.

We hope Kootenai County is among the state and national leaders in voter turnout. After all the candidate profiles, all the talk shows and debates, all the letters to the editor, all the bumper stickers and yard signs, all the TV and radio commercials and all the water cooler and break room back-and-forthing, time is almost up to do the right thing.

Vote.