Goodbye, 2008

Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2008 | 2:05 a.m.

New Year’s Eve is hardly complete without the singing of the traditional “Auld Lang Syne,” with the chorus of the sentimental Scottish tune reminding us of times gone by.

Tonight, however, the passing year will leave few people with soft, sentimental thoughts. USA Today called 2008 an “epic year,” but that wasn’t meant as a compliment. The year was momentous for a number of reasons, most of them bad.

The economy, mired in recession, continued its decline, paced by several meltdowns on Wall Street. America saw spikes in prices for food and fuel and a marked increase in unemployment. Also, the mortgage industry’s collapse and the resulting foreclosures — with Nevada at the epicenter — sent waves through the economy. American troops are still fighting an ill-conceived war in Iraq and are bogged down in Afghanistan.

Locally, things weren’t much better. There were the hepatitis C crisis and a downturn in tourism, plus the state is mired in its own budget crisis.

However, the year did have some high points, particularly the election of the nation’s first black president, Barack Obama, who will be inaugurated next month. Obama brought a new sense of hope to America during his campaign, which is desperately needed.

The year 2008 is coming to a close not a moment too soon. It is beyond time a wave of change comes to America. The new president and Congress will have their hands full in 2009 working to reverse the failed policies of the Bush administration and Republican lawmakers to put the country back on track.

As we shut the door on 2008, we do so with the hope of a brighter future. Recalling the lyrics that will be sung tonight, “We’ll take a cup of kindness yet for auld lang syne,” here’s hoping that cup of kindness in 2009 is an extra large.