So what is the midterm elections really all about?  Is it just a vote for or against Donald Trump? Our readers tell us it’s much bigger than that. They don’t just want Trump to get their message, they want all the politicians who have kowtowed at the altar of Trump to hear them loud and clear. They care about moral character.  After two years of Trump, this is a very big deal.

As Dan Rather put it, “This election is about one question above all others: Who are we?”

Capt. “Sully” Sullenberger, the pilot who landed a crippled airliner safely in the Hudson River almost 10 years ago wrote an opinion piece in the Washington Post this week saying:

“To navigate complex challenges, all leaders must take responsibility and have a moral compass grounded in competence, integrity and concern for the greater good.”

News & Guts readers share that sentiment. Here’s what some readers told us:

Linda Bolton (Green Brook NJ) I want leaders who are compassionate and will restore our nation’s moral compass, give us hope rather the daily bombardment of gloom and doom. I want leaders who will be quick to remind us that everything we need to know we learned in kindergarten, i.e., love our neighbors as ourselves, stop the hate, reunite the detained immigrant children with their families.

Sarah Woodburn (Vancouver, WA) I would be happy if I could get a Congressional Rep who even PRETENDED to represent her constituents. Since 2016, mine has held no live town halls (only disingenuous, heavily edited “telephone town halls”)and has only met with business and special interest groups that align with her politics (and donate money to her coffers). 

Nan Foster Bertone (Naples, FL) I am most concerned with the past history of the candidates and whether they take money from big interests that could be a conflict of interest. I also like to know if the person has ever worked in anything other than the government. I believe in the common good in government, not power for the few! 

Rai Yesenski (Phoenix, AZ) I would like to see candidates that care more about issues than slinging crud at their opponent. We lost Senator McCain and the two people that are running don’t seem interested in our issues, such as education, welfare, handicapped and senior citizens. I would like to know that they are concerned with the possibility that some people in Congress are considering cutting Social Security and Disability benefits. I would like to know they are concerned about our air quality. I would like to see a debate that addresses actual issues, instead of being pithy and insulting.

Michelle Allen (Miami, FL) Before we can discuss any issues, we need candidates with morals, character, and integrity first, otherwise, it will be the same old, same old. 

Lois Hurley (Thornton, NH) A candidate that is focused on unifying our country not dividing it. I don’t care if your republican or democrat if you understand how divided this country has become and your views are somewhat balanced(not extreme right or left) and you want to work on bringing people together in a way that isn’t negative or involve fear and shaming then I would be interested.