The 2008 general election may give new meaning to the term “sympathy vote.” Just about everyone elected on Tuesday deserves our sympathy for the difficult problems they now face.

The election of our first black president was an historic moment, but President-elect Barack Obama now must figure out ways to deal with a U.S. economy in its greatest crisis in almost a century. The American medical care system is in serious need of reform, and the national debt continues to grow. Although there are glimmers of hope in Iraq, the situation in Afghanistan is growing worse, and there are many other festering situations that will demand the new president’s attention.

The same is true of members of the U.S. Congress elected or re-elected on Tuesday. It’s hard to find many bright spots right now in the federal agenda.

As they celebrated their election victories, Kansas legislators received word they could face a billion-dollar deficit by June 2010. The slumping national economy is dragging down tax receipts and created a financial outlook that veterans of both crises say is worse than 2001-02, when Gov. Bill Graves ordered across-the-board budget cuts.

Newly elected Douglas County commissioners also will have to deal with lower tax receipts and tighter budgets.

Who would want these jobs? As we’ve noted before, it takes courage to run for elective office. It takes even more courage to take a leadership role during such a troubled time.