It is true that Washington is broken, but America needs to take a deep breath.

During the past seven years, the U.S. Constitution has been under siege by President Obama. Much has been said about his refusal to act appropriately on crime, tax policy, downsizing government, support for the military, support for law enforcement, well-paying jobs, lagging education, health-care cost and availability, race relationships, job-killing regulations, foreign affairs, national defense, illegal immigration and terrorism. Surely, a failed presidency.

It is politically unbelievable how the voters could have elected Obama for a second unsuccessful four-year term, but it happened.

President Obama’s noted failures had surely existed for years before he promised to bring hope to voting Americans. Most often, his actions exacerbated an already shameful situation related to the imbalance and misuse of power.

Now, in 2016, American voters are asked to choose between two inappropriate Democrats or the winner of the GOP battle for supremacy. To assume that Trump, Clinton or Sanders would provide solutions to the nation’s problems is merely wishful thinking — hoping for instant gratification.

Electing self-absorbed individuals will only make the current situation worse. An untarnished visionary candidate is needed who will focus the first term on dynamic activities with the 50 state governors to downsize the federal government and implement realistic reforms for state-controlled government functions empowered by the U.S. Constitution (Tenth Amendment). Such actions, however difficult, would re-energize this country.

If states rights are properly addressed, major changes in the U.S. Congress will follow.

Len Greaney, Rumford