Letter: GOP voters must pick candidate wisely

The last great president who united America was Ronald Reagan. House Speaker Tip O'Neill and Reagan were on opposite sides of most issues. Yet, together, they found answers that benefited the majority of Americans, and these answers should not be labeled as compromises. Each had an agenda, and together they found common ground.

While during the Reagan era our federal debt grew, a qualified economist will tell you that, as long as the percentage of Gross Domestic Product growth exceeds the growth of debt, the economy can be sustained. Today it is the opposite.

Unfortunately, Reagan is no longer with us, and his clone is nowhere to be found.

The Republican presidential candidate we nominate in the next few months and the president we elect in November needs to be someone who has the qualities and the forbearance to unite America. When Republicans go to the S.C. primary polls on Feb. 20, please keep in mind that there are Republican nominees who have the ability to do this. Other Republican nominees do not.

American voters have the ability to determine the future of America. Please choose wisely.

Tom Hatfield

This story was originally published January 29, 2016 at 9:57 PM with the headline "Letter: GOP voters must pick candidate wisely."