WHO WILL IT BE?

The end of 2009 brings to an end the first decade of the 21st century. To commemorate this special occasion, we'll be looking back over the next three weeks at a variety of people and events that made 2000-2009 a decade to remember.

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Now that the White House has put the Afghanistan business behind it, and with today's jobs summit satisfying the public's discontent about unemployment, expect President Barack Obama to get back to what it considers the real business at hand -- pushing health insurance reform.

Perhaps the most contentious part of the debate -- and the one single issue that could sink the Democrats' legislation altogether -- is the inclusion of a so-called "public option." Supporters of the public option claim it is the only way to provide health insurance for the broadest base of the American public. As certain as they seem to be of this point, very few supporters have a clear picture of what it will cost and, more importantly, how the invoice for it will be paid.

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Are your seat belts buckled?

Got your chin-strap on?

This is it! The moment we've all been waiting for! The Obama Troop Surge Roller Coaster! From here, it looks like it's going to be one heckuva bumpy ride!

At 3:30 this morning, I was ready to give President Barack Obama his due after reading the latest New York Times headline, "Obama Issues Order for More Troops in Afghanistan." Despite his unconscionable three-month delay, I was pleased to see that the president had compromised with NATO Commander Gen. Stanley McChrystal, whose request for upwards of 40,000 additional troops in the region hadn't fallen on deaf ears. Obama's decision to send 30,000 more troops certainly wasn't the response McChrystal had hoped for, but it's about what he should have expected. After all, the president has to be able to claim plausible deniability when his liberal detractors start calling for their pound of flesh.

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Ahh ... the holidays!

After stuffing themselves with turkey, dressing and pumpkin pie, many Americans will venture forth at midnight to stand in long lines as they wait with bated breath for shopping malls across the US to open their doors and officially usher in the 2009 Christmas shopping season.

The great deals awaiting these patient troubadours are as thrilling for them as being the very first shopper to grab that much-sought-after holiday gift that sons, daughters, nieces and nephews will cherish for 15 whole minutes before going to play with the box it came in.

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