Americans are contemplating the possibility of electing the most joyful candidate in a history of 46 presidencies of a nation currently beset by internal divisiveness and hostile external forces. These times are not a laughing matter. They call for serious executive policy attention and a confidence-building program for substantive reversal, not sound-bite platitudes. Virtue-signaling symbolism has not worked in government, business or community life. The nation now is within days of an election in which the incumbent presidential aspirant has offered only vague allusions to “a new way forward” and “an opportunity economy.” Is the always jovial candidate laughing at the puzzled electorate? It’s no time for more funny business. Leadership is not comedy, and experience has immense value. One candidate has been there and done that with success; the other offers a dubious claim to “back-seat driving” with an unexpectedly retiring presidential placeholder. You judge the respective qualifications. Phil Osifer