By DAVID WARGO

tneditor@tnonline.comThis Election Day is important as it will decide the course of our nation for the next four years, if not longer. Do you agree with President Barack Obama's agenda or do you believe it is time to change direction? That is what is at stake in this election, and I think we need to remove the distractions and focus on the real question. Is this America the one you want, or do you want the America of our forefathers and mothers?The America we were raised to believe in as a melting pot and land of opportunity was one where charity came from the heart. It was a nation where we helped each other freely and not because a government entity took our money and decided how to dispense its form of charity for us. It was a country that supported differing points of view, not a country where those who proclaim to be tolerant are more intolerant than those who they claim offend them.The America we were raised to believe in was one of equal opportunity, not equal wealth. Those in charge today want you to believe this country owes us equal wealth. That is a misrepresentation of our core values. We should strive to allow all Americans regardless of sex, age, race or orientation the equal opportunity to achieve their dreams and wealth, but nothing is guaranteed and we should know that, but for some reason this government of ours wants to punish those who work hard and discourage opportunity.This is not the country I want. Obama and his apologists want you to believe the country is getting better. They say unemployment is down, but they don't tell you the reason it goes down is because they altered who they count as well as the only people on unemployment are those eligible. After the eligibility period ends, you are dumped until the next year begins and magically you disappear from their statistics. Don't let them fool you. There are over 23 million Americans out of work or underemployed meaning they are working jobs at far less than what they are trained to do.Obama promised to cut the deficit by now. Instead it is increased. He hasn't balanced a budget in three years, one of which was given to a Democrat-controlled Congress. We have not had a spending plan for over three years. The National Debt has increased by $7 trillion and practically doubled in the last four years. Every American, including those not yet born, are responsible for paying six figures for their part of the national debt.Obama promised to close Guantanamo Bay because he believed the camp was inhumane. It is still open because he found it was not that easy. He released terrorists who were later killed fighting against us. He claims to have killed Osama Bin Laden, but doesn't say it was due to his predecessor's methods of extracting information. Then he turns around and lets the informant who told us where to find our number one enemy get arrested for crimes against his country.Seven weeks ago, Obama refused to admit a terrorist attack murdered our Libyan Ambassador Chris Stevens and his protectors. Four Americans are dead, one of whom is an ambassador, which in most cases is an act of war. They knew immediately it was an organized attack, but he lied for at least two weeks, claiming a movie trailer was responsible.He has instructed a UN Small Arms Treaty be signed and his conspirators running the Senate have held it up to prevent the Senate from voting it down, which puts our country at the mercy of UN gun control. If this treaty is ratified, it compromises our freedom under the Second Amendment. If it is not voted down, it is treated like it is in effect.He has allowed Attorney General Eric Holder to be protected using Executive Privilege in a questionable manner to avoid discussing his part in "Fast and Furious," which led to the murder of at least one border patrol agent. He appointed officials, violating procedure while Congress was in session.These are just the major reasons each of us should consider for whom we are voting.Obama's America is one of entitlement and stealing from Peter to pay Paul. It is one that requires money we don't have to pay for programs we can't afford. It is an America that wants every one of us so dependent on the government that we can't do anything without it. An America where everyone is equal in wealth. An America that is a communist country. The bottom lineis that what you want? I hope not. Get out and vote.