I would like to respond to Matt Cashman's Sept. 28 Viewpoint "Essential to Elect Democrat to Solve Problems."

Never has an election been so important to the people of America than the one that will occur on Nov. 2. Voters in this election have very clear choices, and it is my hope our electorate will look beyond the negative attacks, lies and empty promises directed at our current president, see the hypocrisy of Sen. John Kerry's (D-Mass.) campaign and examine what is at stake. As I recall, President Bush — who only said Kerry has flip-flopped — has been accused by the Kerry campaign of lying, intentionally misleading and of receiving preferential treatment in the National Guard. In contrast, Bush has praised Kerry's Vietnam service and said he has not lied. Which of these two men has gone negative?

Further, if you want to lose even more money from your pocket book to pay for the extraneous surgeries — such as Botox, liposuction and other cosmetic procedures — of everyday Americans who cannot pay for it themselves, then by all means vote for Kerry. If you want getting your appendix out to be like going to the DMV, then vote for Kerry. National Health Care is one step short of socializing medicine. The above description is symptomatic of every country that has it. But if you want to help small businesses pool their resources to help their employees get affordable health care, please consider Bush.

If you see France and Germany — who participated in the corruption of the Oil for Food Program — as ideal allies and see over 30 nations involved in Iraq as window dressing, then perhaps you should vote for Kerry. If you think Iraqi Prime Minister Allawi — who risks his life daily to assassination, who worked up enough courage to speak before our Congress and will willingly abdicate power if he is not reelected — is a puppet, then you are many things I will not say and maybe you should vote for Kerry.

If you see America as safer while keeping the terrorists occupied on foreign soil, if you believe as Kerry did that "those who believe that we are not safer with [Saddam Hussein's] capture don't have the judgment to be president or the credibility to be elected president," then perhaps you should not vote for Kerry.

Indeed, as Cashman said, the differences between Bush and Kerry extend to far more issues than I have listed. Bush has pushed an energy bill that would allow us to tap the massive oil reserves off the Pacific and Gulf Coasts, has tried to empower minorities and has worked hard to keep Homeland Security strong and vigilant to keep America safe. In contrast, Kerry has a dismal attendance record on security and has stooped to baseless accusations to try to discredit Bush.

One radio ad has a black man addressing other black people and saying, "The republicans have a vision and you're not in it." Kerry has directly accused the Republicans of trying to quash the black vote. Ridiculous and baseless! A complete fantasy! This is just the latest in the litany of Democratic scare tactics including "The republicans want to steal your social security fund" or "Elect republicans and the rich will pay no taxes while you pay double."

Come Nov. 2, we will choose between two very different men. We will choose to create jobs or start losing them. We will accept healthcare is a privilege — not a right — or we will destroy our whole system with national healthcare. We will choose to continue honoring the willing sacrifice of those in our armed forces while creating a new, freer Iraq, or we can claim to support them while voting against funding them and slowly undermining their efforts by providing the terrorists with a set pullout date.

We will choose to keep making this nation stronger and more secure, or we will allow the United States to be subjected to "global tests," giving a corrupt France and Germany veto power over our national security. We will make a choice between what is just and what is unjust, what is right and what is wrong. The choice is ours, and I have faith the American people will make the right decision.

Zabrowski is a sophomore chemistry major.

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