Let us bow our heads at the annual supper of national gratitude to give thanks and praise, in no particular order:

—CLAP FOR THE WAXMAN. There's no better government watchdog in the U.S. House of Representatives than Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif. As ranking member and chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Waxman held powerful feet to the fire and eschewed sacred cows. Waxman has more integrity in his pinkie than just about anyone on Capitol Hill.

A quiet but strong advocate of the people's right to know, Waxman has taken on Big Tobacco, Big Oil, the Pentagon, Major League Baseball, lobbyists and all others compelled to testify before this important and powerful House committee.

Waxman takes his underappreciated skills to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, where he replaces Rep. John D. Dingell as chairman. Be afraid, polluters and privacy-invading telecoms. Be very afraid. This Thanksgiving, Waxman gets the wishbone.

—THE END IS NEAR. Soon, very soon, the Bush II imperial presidency will expire. Hooray for democracy! Double hooray for term limits! Must we really pardon this Texan tom turkey?

—THE ELECTION IS OVER. We just experienced one of the meanest, nastiest, dirtiest and longest presidential campaigns in modern times. One more robo call, one more hateful political rally, one more debate and we would have seceded from Alaska. For putting up with all this filth for nearly two years, we all get an extra 10 minutes in the shower this holiday week.

—NICE GUYS FINISHED FIRST. After winning the Democratic nomination for president, then-Sen. Barack Obama said he would run a strong campaign without questioning his opponent's patriotism. Keeping that promise must've been difficult, considering how GOP nominees Sen. John McCain and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin questioned his patriotism and sullied his reputation throughout the campaign. This Thanksgiving, our president-elect deserves an extra heaping helping of humble pie and one final after-dinner smoke before quitting for good.

—OUR TROOPS. Our men and women in the armed forces continue to sacrifice and meet their obligations. They have shown valor and patience despite multiple tours; a backdoor draft; insufficient vehicular and body armor; unequal pay for equal work done by private security contractors, such as Blackwater; "don't ask, don't tell" discrimination; friendly-fire lies; disorganized civilian leadership; Walter Reed horrors; and a Veterans Affairs Department in disarray. An extra turkey leg to all of them and a safe and speedy exit strategy.

—THE BAILOUT. Argue all you want about whether this helps Wall Street more than Main Street, but the fact remains that our nation is luckier and wealthier than most. So hang in there. Meanwhile, protect your nest egg and keep the money under the mattress. Come January, the grown-ups will be in charge of our government — and our economy — again. We're Americans, remember? We'll get through this.

—SWEET CHARITY. The harder Americans fall the more we give. Protecting the middle class in this troubled economy means protecting the people on whom the poor most depend. These are the folks who stock the food pantries, volunteer at soup kitchens and missions, and donate to nonprofits that help reduce homelessness, hunger and domestic violence, among other things. These are the folks who ring that Salvation Army bell. There are always people among us who, no matter how little they have, keep giving to those less fortunate than they are.

—OUR CONSTITUTION. The loyal Bushies stomped it, shredded it, burned it, gagged it, Abu Ghraib-ed and waterboarded it, yet the blueprint for our democracy remains intact. We still are trying to form that perfect union.

—THANK HEAVEN FOR LITTLE GIRLS. If you grew up watching the two Kennedy kids, "John John" and Caroline, in the White House, you'll know the thrill Generation O will have bearing witness to the new heirs to Camelot, Malia and Sasha Obama, as they grow up right before our eyes. From Plymouth to the Potomac, we give thanks for the hope and change you young ladies represent.

Rhonda Chriss Lokeman (RCLCreators@kc.rr.com) is a contributing editor to The Kansas City Star. To find out more about Rhonda Chriss Lokeman and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

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