It seems to me that our nation has reached a crossroads.

There are those who would like you to turn left, who believe:

You can help the poor by destroying the rich. You can strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You can bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. You can lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.

You can further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred. You can build character and courage by taking away people’s initiative and independence. You can help people permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.

You can ignore the American people’s will and still keep your seat in government.

Then there are those that would like you to turn right, who believe:

You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.

You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred. You cannot build character and courage by taking away people’s initiative and independence. You cannot help people permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves. You cannot ignore the American people’s will and still keep your seat in government.

Then there are those who would like both sides to come together so we can move forward. It’s up to the American people to give Washington, D.C., its direction in the elections in 2010 and 2012.

So, don’t forget to vote; your country is counting on you. Todd Lundy Thousand Oaks