Leadership and crisis. In the past when our great country faced a crisis, a great leader emerged and set us on a course to continued success. Our country is in need of a great leader again. George Washington got us started.

Jefferson expanded the country. Jackson helped set the boundaries between federal and state's rights. Lincoln helped reunite a divided country. Teddy Roosevelt placed us on the world stage. Wilson tried to end all wars.

Franklin Roosevelt gave us hope and victory. Truman helped define the nuclear age and started the Civil Rights movement. Eisenhower expanded on civil rights. Kennedy provided a new vision to a new generation and Reagan re-established America's pride and leadership on the world stage.

Our country now faces problems both at home and abroad. At home, the bottom 95 percent are working from pay check to pay check to make ends meet. Abroad, we have lost all credibility due to our "cowboy" foreign policy attitude that has isolated us from our democratic allies. Our country needs a change. A facelift. A leader. I don't know who it will be or what they will do, but more than ever, our country needs a strong captain at the helm to guide us through this latest round of troubled times.

Robert Segreti

Valdosta