Folks, the brutal truth is that Donald Trump is ahead or tied in swing state polls, and the election is only 10 months away. And unless you want to see Trump turn our country into a fascist dictatorship in the tradition of Victor Orban’s Hungary, we need to be united, focused and vote like hell next November. We also need to be realistic about the chances of a third party or write in candidates winning; they can’t win; all they will do is take away votes mostly from Joe Biden and the Democrats.

If we are going to preserve our democracy, Democrats and traditional Republicans will need to put aside their policy differences (abortion, guns, climate, immigration transgender, etc.) and unite behind the only real alternative we have at defeating Trump: President Joe Biden and the Democratic Party.

To this end, Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger, Mitt Romney, and other prominent Republicans should promote a new conservative movement, and forget about trying to salvage the MAGA Republican Party. Call it: ‘Conservatives for democracy.’

They need to build a coalition with like-minded Republicans and Independents in support of the only national presidential candidate and political party that still believes in American democracy: Joe Biden and the Democrats.

And Democrats, you can help Republicans build that coalition by reaching out to your Republican friends and neighbors with an open heart and a willingness to listen to their concerns about your pet policy issues: for example, abortion rights, government regulation’s, etc. While those issues are important to Democrats, they pale in comparison to the threat MAGA and Trump represents to our constitutional republic, the rule of law and our our national security.

Republicans, Democrats and Independents, there is no alternative other than the Democratic Party and Joe Biden; and we’re running out of time.

FREDERICK LEHR

Grays River