While many Americans prefer to embrace hatred of this year’s presidential election, and hammer away at the spike creating the divide between Americans, others cling to hope. They wade through the squalor that is our current state of things in search of a glimmer that will lead to a brighter future. Unfortunately, no matter how hard they look, or what they find, the fact is that the next president will be helpless without a functioning Congress.

Members of Congress refuse to hold a hearing for a ninth Supreme Court justice, constantly delay the confirmation of key government officials, appear unable to pass a budget, and fail to make progress toward solutions for any of our pressing national issues, such as entitlement spending, immigration reform, national debt, tax reform, the environment, gun violence, campaign finance, etc. What’s more, they have consistently received record-low approval numbers.

I am one of the dreamers who continues to search for something positive, but I fear that, unless our lawmakers can put their country’s interests ahead of their own political careers, it will not matter who is in the White House in January.

Nathaniel Watson

Dorchester