We deserve better than Clinton and Trump

Americans deserve much better than the choice of presidential candidates before us: a woman who does not use her God-given intelligence constructively and remains forever mired in controversy, and a man who appears to be a self-aggrandizing egocentric who is unequivocally ill-suited for the presidency of this great nation.

We now must endure what will surely be the ugliest, most undignified presidential campaign in history. Regardless who is victorious, we will suffer through four very long years of vitriolic partisan attacks, endless and costly investigations, and legislative stalemates, while the critical issues of the country remain unresolved.

The political process in this country has descended to the lowest level possible, with the predominant unifying factor on both sides being hatred of the other. The rancorous and hateful dialogue from candidates, politicians, and talk media is poisoning the American landscape and seeping into the fabric of our communities.

Americans cannot continue to complacently allow this poison to run rampant, cause deep divisions, and eventually result in irreparable harm to our country. We must demand respectful behavior, constructive dialogue and responsible solutions to the many problems that confront us. Our citizens and our nation deserve no less.

This story was originally published July 28, 2016 at 2:48 PM with the headline "We deserve better than Clinton and Trump."