Shortly, voters will have the opportunity to reject the failing policies of the Bush administration by electing a Congress with a balance of political ideologies.  If we are to remain a world leader, we must alter the course we have taken and return to a real partnership with the rest of the world.  Our current foreign policy is myopic and benefits wealthy corporate interests at the expense of the average citizen.  While the abundance of cheap goods may be appealing, we are losing the ability to produce quality goods ourselves.  We are losing our once-preeminent system of public education.  In short, we risk becoming a second-rate nation at a time of global expansion from rivals like China and India.

Political advertising, especially on television, reduces the debate to one of schoolyard name-calling when we most need informative discussion.  It is time to restore thoughtful debate about the many issues we confront.  It is time to take the long view of our position in the world and begin acting like a true world leader.  It is time to reject the bellicose politics of fear and make a realistic assessment of our situation so we can adopt policies that work.