Where did 2007 go? Just yesterday I was trying to remember to write 20 instead of 19. Now it is 2008 already, and it has been a very good year for me.

Early this morning on January 1, I looked out my window and saw the most perfect Colorado sky, clear with a rim of gold just starting to emerge over the Mesa. High in the sky was the straight, white line of a plane's contrail. I could see all that clearly, but I can't see the face of the person sitting across breakfast table from me. I choose to call the sunrise a miracle, for 2008.

But there is not too much hope. The year 2008 will be another year of the Bush/Cheney Administration, and that takes the "Happy" out of the statement.

As nation we have suffered one of the worst years in memory. In Iraq 3,910 American troops have been killed. The cost in money has reached five billion dollars. Still Mr. Bush says we are winning the war but he has never told us exactly what we have won.

The Middle East is afire and nobody in the Administration seems to know what do. Bill Clinton got the biggest laugh of the evening recently when he commented in a speech that Bush was going to send Cheney to confer with Musharraf to discuss peace.

Domestically we have built up a horrific deficit of approximately 8.9 trillion dollars. That is "tr", not" "br" Our economy is in major trouble. We face problems with our school system and the health system. The problem of illegal immigration is unsolved. Other than that, 2007 was a very good year.

As we look forward to 2008 it, doesn't look much better. But it will be a vitally important year and it will certainly be an exciting one. That is, exciting if you are a political nut like me.

The first couple of weeks have furnished a lot of activity. I have never heard so many political speeches in a two week period. But they have been interesting and despite all the hot air, they have told us quite a bit about the many candidates.

The talking heads seem to believe that the results of the Iowa caucuses will influence the votes in November. But in spite of their opinions, nobody knows for sure what the effect will be. We still have a very long way to go.

We have quite a variety of candidates and issues. The major buzz words are "change" and "experience." It seems to me that in order to change you have to understand what you are changing, but they make great political words. The issues the voters in Iowa were most concerned with were the economy, the Iraq War and health care, along with Christian credentials.

I am, of course, disappointed in Hillary's showing. But this was only the beginning and she is far from down yet.

And I am not surprised that the Iowa Republicans picked a Southern Baptist, ultraconservative former preacher as their number one. That would mean a major threat to the constitutional separation of church and state.

When you read this you will know the results in New Hampshire. The Colorado caucuses will be on February 5.

It will be a long year. The candidates will surely be exhausted, and so will we. But the alternative is our loss of freedom. The cost of freedom is high, and we have to pay it.

But it ain't over 'til the fat lady sings. Happy New Year.