Our longest war has not been in Afghanistan. It has been the war waged against the American people by our politicians in Washington. They have steadily passed laws to make life a living hell for the American people while talking about “compromise” and acting in a “civilized” manner toward each other.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson is right. We need to find our “moral center,” not political compromise in governance.

When Koch Industries, Goldman Sachs and Wells Fargo dollars are steadily buying politicians, we, the American people, are the losers.

Wells Fargo executives can commit all sorts of crimes against customers and not have to set a foot in a prison. Yet ordinary citizens can be stopped by police who have rolled up windows because the officers “smell marijuana,” another case of driving while black.

In former President Obama, we had a president who was respected around the world. The American people twice elected him, only to have the evil, racist white male Republicans in Congress treat him with total disrespect. Those white male Republicans were waging war against the wishes of the American people by blocking his judicial nominees and other efforts on our behalf, including health care, which other countries have for their citizens.

Our longest war started in 1776 with the continuation of slavery at the start of a new country. It continues today with the evil likes of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Sen. Ted Cruz. On them and other Republicans like them, we can smell the strong stench of racism, whether or not car windows are rolled up.

We need to stop them and their cohorts from driving America into the ground.

To the Rev. Jesse Jackson, I say a loud, “Amen!”

NAOMI G. SAUNDERS

Richmond