Dear editor:

If there’s one thing congress has proven in the last four years it’s that it can’t get anything done. Our political system has become an unmanageable log jam thanks in large part to an unwillingness on the conservative side of the aisle to negotiate or compromise in good faith. It’s like congress has forgotten what it’s there for. Do you remember? Congress is suppose to move our country ahead; to protect its People, to improve the quality of life toward for all the People of the United States; young, old, rich, poor, men, women, gay, Jews, Christians, Muslims, Catholics, Baptists, Methodists and the ever burdened middle class.

We wring our hands over countries who are building their economies, learning new ways to feed and care for their people, those countries who rattle their sabers at America or who out flank us in science, mathematics and nation-building. Yet congress sits like truculent school children who would rather hold their breaths until they turn blue before cooperating for the good of the nation as a whole.

Let’s look at voting records for a minute. Scott Tipton votes a straight Republican party line which has much more to do with making President Obama a ‘one-term president’ than working to better our country on behalf of the American People. Consensus building? Forget about it! Compromise? No way! Reach across the aisle to find common ground? Not a chance! No folks, Mr. Tipton would rather hold his breath until he turns blue.

Take a look at Sal Pace’s voting record. Mr. Pace has earned the reputation of being a consensus builder and working with his opposite number in the Colorado Legislature to find common ground and build relationships with conservative legislators. He will vote with his political rivals in the name of working for the People of Colorado, not his political party or political ‘business partners’ to whom his vote is owed.

Suppose President Obama is re-elected, a very strong possibility this late in the campaign. What do you think is going to happen? I can tell you, more of the same - Tipton will hold his breath again and again and the legislative log jam will continue to get worse and worse.

Sal Pace, on the other hand, will focus on the issues before him, work with all his colleagues in congress to chart a new path for America. He will work toward economic prosperity for Colorado and the country, find real, sustainable solutions to America’s health care problems, help our young people to get the education they need to be productive members of the workforce and equip them to take command of our country’s future; all this regardless of who is president.

So who do you want working for you in Washington, Mr. ‘More-of-the-Same’ or Sal Pace? The choice is clear, vote for the person who will work with both sides of the aisle to make American stronger.

Vote for Sal Pace.

John Egan

Pagosa Springs, Colo.