The war in Ukraine keeps bringing death and destruction to that country; inflation is causing senior citizens and others to decide whether to buy food or medicine; fuel prices are making you wonder if you can afford to go to work; Russia is mediating a nuclear arms deal between Iran and the United States; crime in our country continues to rise; our cities seem flush with district attorneys and laws that favor criminals over victims. The list goes on and on.  And, our leaders fail to lead.

            The primary election is just around the corner and the general election is only eight months away.  There is plenty of time for the candidates to present themselves to the voters and for the voters to decide who they will cast their ballot for.

            Choose wisely.  The world is a mess and our country is broken.  Forecasts and predictions mean nothing if there is no confidence from the people.  The margin for error grows as more and more people tire of the inquisitions and choose to serve up false answers to the pollsters.

            Our political parties seem to focus only on who can win, not who is better for the people, the government, and the United States of America.

            Give us your money and we'll present you with the right candidate.  How's that working out?

            We deserve more than candidates who can win.  We deserve candidates who can win, do the job well, and be an asset to the government and not an embarrassment to the people they serve.  Nobody should ever have to vote for the candidate they hate less or the one who will do less harm than the other.  The people want more and better.

            We want candidates we can have confidence in.

            Stop with the "robocalls" and let us eat our dinner in peace.  The people will select who they will vote for.  Stop dropping campaign donations on polls and get out and meet with your constituents.  Tell them why they should vote for you.  How a candidate presents themselves to the people is just as important as how they present themselves to a political party.

            Nominating petitions are circulating now for the May 17 primary election ballot.  If you choose to support a candidate for a specific elected position by signing it, do so. 

            Learn all you can about the candidates before you cast your ballot.  That is the responsibility of everyone who plans to vote.  Don't let others make your mind up for you.

            Before you punch that ticket or fill in that circle, ask yourself: Is this my decision or did someone make it for me?