A change of leadership is needed at the federal level. Mitt Romney, the Republican nominee for president and former Massachusetts governor, has the abilities and qualities necessary to meet the challenges facing our nation.
Those challenges are numerous and urgent. The country's economy struggles to rebound, taxpayers face an added burden with the expected expiration of the Bush tax cuts, and a looming "sequestration" threatens across-the-board budget cuts.
Fingers of blame can be pointed in various directions, but the exercise accomplishes nothing.
Leadership is required to bring factions together for the common good, and the incumbent Democrat, Barack Obama, has been unable to get the job done. We take no pleasure in characterizing his presidency as ineffective, but we continue this course at our peril.
Romney's welcome alternative to the persistent downturn is to grow the economy, not impose counter-productive higher taxes.
Our nation, sadly, has deviated from its founding principle - free individuals with opportunities to work, become entrepreneurs and enjoy the rewards of prosperity.
Admittedly, people differ in their ability to contribute. We must pursue a process that assists the needy without rewarding the indolent.
Reviving our economy is a complex process and, while we favor Romney's approach, we confess disappointment he hasn't offered more specifics.
We also support Romney's preference for the concept of federalism, particularly with regard to infrastructure.
Federalism - as outlined in the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution - delegates powers to the states unless specifically prohibited or otherwise reserved for the federal government.
This process empowers the 50 states to serve as individual laboratories for public policy. The trial-anderror experiments allow other governing bodies to avoid repeating failures and to emulate successes.
One of many examples - this one now in the news - is Missouri's Nonpartisan Court Plan, which has been adopted as a model by other states.
Another important consideration - a focus among pundits - is nomination for appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Although the role of judges is to interpret laws as written, those interpretations vary.
We favor a chief executive who will appoint jurists whose philosophy reflects our Constitution.
As a chief executive, a consensus builder and a champion of time-honored principles, Romney deserves an opportunity to lift our nation from stagnation and lead us to renewed prosperity.