I am writing to you about our ongoing financial crisis.

Today’s financial and legislative news is incredibly disturbing to me.

The largest one-day point drop in the Dow? No, that’s a painful but logical reaction to today’s events.

What in the world are you all thinking as you argue about potential actions to stem this tide and stabilize the market? In times of crisis, we look to you as our representatives to exercise good judgement, with dignity and thoughtfulness, to move swiftly and decisively. And yes, take risks.

The emerging stories of political positioning, Speaker of the House grandstanding and conservative Republican caucus self-dealing are repugnant at best.

I can swallow the bitter pill of losing money on my investments — that’s part of risk and return over time. However, your collective failure as members of our highest legislative bodies to act with maturity and foresight bodes ill for our future.

We are your constituency, regardless of political party. Do your duty — act as adults and make the hard choices. If you do not, if you continue to bicker and position in this election year, you will be marked for time as the legislators who could not and would not and will feel our collective electoral wrath.

Please, please, pull back your emotions, think carefully and get back to solid ground. We have entire generations behind us watching, calculating and forming a view of what we and our country hold dear and represent in the world.

We can and must do better.

Kirk Dawson