Dear Editor:

In these troubling partisan times, the extreme left and extreme right predictably war, accept favorable lies, and belittle their opponents at every opportunity. Under such circumstances, time should be taken to recognize truths on which we should all agree.

We can all agree that IF the president of our country withholds promised help to another country, and then asks the leader of that country to do him a favor and investigate alleged wrongdoing by his most likely political opponent in the next presidential election, that president has outrageously violated his oath of office by using the power of his office for personal political gain.

Oh, some of you disagree with that statement? Well, let’s subject your disagreement to a simple moral test. If President Obama had hinted at worsening the US relationship with Russia, and then asked its leader to do him a favor and investigate candidate Trump for his alleged sexual improprieties while in Russia, you would have been fine with that?

That little voice you just heard was your lost integrity begging for you to find it, and to apply it equally to all politicians regardless of party. Our country needs your integrity to return, front and center, to meaningfully evaluate these troubling times in which we live, and to then vote accordingly.

Carl Kiss

Enterprise, Ore.