It is imperative that candidates for office always present themselves as upstanding examples of God-fearing people, devoted to family (even to the extent of exploiting their families in commercials) and the American way of life, wanting only the best for their constituents. Yet, nearly all candidates and their advocates conduct political campaigns laced with wildly distorted false claims, accusations not based on facts, impossible promises and, sometimes, outright lies. Is this the standard our youths ought to follow and emulate? After all, we preach to our kids that they should always tell the truth, not cheat in school, treat others with respect and avoid all manner of questionable behavior. How do candidates reconcile doing whatever it takes to get elected, even when that involves bending the truth, lambasting opponents with false accusations and essentially resorting to trickery? Furthermore, how can we trust people who forfeit integrity in order to win an election?

JOHN HELGERSON, VICTORIA