Eight years of the Bush/Cheney crime cartel have shown us many things that are wrong with America. Luckily for us, the long national nightmare is nearly over.

Bush and Cheney will scurry out of Washington as the most distrusted and despised leaders in our history. A new era of American greatness will return when Barack Obama and Joe Biden take office next Tuesday.

Instead of focusing upon the evildoers leaving office, or the courageous men we hired to clean up their mess, I'd rather look at the unsung heroes of this city, the ones who go to work each day at their small businesses and who are now struggling to survive.

Because I have a secure, unionized job where my rights are guaranteed, and my wife is making pretty good cash as a journalist, it was a merrier Christmas than usual at the Hammer home this year. We work hard, and we're far from rich, but we were each able to splurge on a couple of holiday gifts.

And the most satisfying experiences I had were at mom-and-pop, locally owned businesses, where the owners genuinely want your business and give you extra attention. What I fear is that the Bush Depression is going to drive some of these places out of business and the only thing that will save them is if we make the extra effort to keep them afloat.

We're already seeing the evidence of the Depression on the multinational chains: the Starbucks at Fall Creek and College is now gone. Drive down 86th Street and you'll see acres of retail space that have been abandoned.

The only way we'll get through this is to work together and to reward our fellow citizens who provide jobs at their small businesses. Wal-Mart could care less about you, whether you're a customer or an employee.

But most of the local businesses I went to during the holiday season earned my respect and my loyalty because they actually cared about my satisfaction. Most of the businesses that advertise in this newspaper are exactly like that, and I plead with you to patronize them.

Mass Ave Toys earned my eternal affection for their delightful selection of items, their reasonable prices and the personalized attention I received from them. The $40 I spent there didn't make or break them, but they shepherded me around their store, helping me find the perfect gifts for my sister-in-law.

Also on Massachusetts Avenue, the venerable Stout's Shoes helped me find the exact fit for my misshapen, mutant feet. One foot is an 11.5 5E and the other is a 12 5E. Nowhere else, on the Internet or at a chain store, would someone patiently measure, re-measure and locate exactly what I needed, all the while refraining from making jokes about my porcine feet.

Paul's Barber Shop at 52nd and College is a national treasure. Paul has been cutting hair at the same location since 1962 and still has the magic touch. He deserves a column of his own, if not a book.

There are so many other places I can mention. Taj of India, across the street from Castleton Square Mall, not only has the best Indian food in the city, in the opinion of myself and my wife, they also exhibit an attention to detail and customer service you won't find at a chain restaurant.

Northside News, its accompanying café and Sam's Gyros next door are the same way. They're the best in the city at what they do and they're owned by local people that give a damn about you.

Birdy's, the Melody Inn and all the nightclubs. Yats. And hundreds more I don't have room to mention. Give your money to these places.

Yes, the new president is going to turn this economy around. But it's going to take time. While we're waiting, the very least we can do is support the local businesses who have supported us for so many years.

You may not have much money to spend, but, for heaven's sake, please spend it with local merchants. If they disappear, then the terrorists - Bush and Cheney and their big-business friends - will have won.