While the administration’s campaign focuses on trying to trash Sen. Kerry’s military record, it avoids dealing with the nation’s vital issues.

This is nothing but a tasteless smear campaign meant to distract us. Since there are serious questions about President Bush’s service with the National Guard, the hypocrisy of this attack is all too clear.

We face serious issues involving an election of historic proportions and consequences. The Bush administration has been neither compassionate nor conservative. School systems are worse off because of the unfunded demands of “No Child Left Behind,” more Americans lack health insurance and more American children live in poverty.

While America is a land where we value individual work ethic, it is also a place where we value community and reaching out to those less fortunate. This administration talks about values and compassion, but the real meaning of its policies has been to further enrich the already wealthy.

On environmental issues we have seen years of progress on clean air and clean water rolled back through laws written by the industries we should regulate.

This administration may claim to be concerned with national security, but by its own accounting we have seen a rise in terrorist violence this year.

Finally, because of its cozy relationships with drug companies and health insurers, the administration is unwilling and unable to effectively deal with our health care needs. This is a hardship for an increasing number of Americans and a huge drain on our economy.

Steve Bien, Jay