We’re sure you’re aware of the latest controversy surrounding the presidential campaign. Republican challenger Mitt Romney has taken some heat for saying Americans “dependent” on government assistance “believe they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you name it. I’ll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives.” We’re glad he said it. The camera never blinks. This, we believe, is the fundamental issue in the presidential election to be decided Nov. 6 if not, effectively, beforehand. We need to decide what kind of nation we want to have. Do we want individual responsibility, to keep more of what we earn, to stop runaway regulation and to help only the truly needy? Or, do we want a nation based on collectivism, where the notion of individual is forsaken, thus creating a never-ending cycle of dependency? We’re unequivocally for the former. We hope Romney refuses to back away from his statements. We hope he takes the argument directly to voters. We’re no fans of the former Massachusetts governor, who we see as a weak candidate at best. Still, his hopes very well could hinge on his ability to make a silk purse out of this sow’s ear. In the aftermath of his comments, he actually has presented himself an extraordinary opportunity to clarify that message and his policy stances – and to make crystal clear the contrasts between himself and incumbent President Barack Obama are as stark as we believe they are. That, we suppose, will be up to his team of advisors, and given that team’s performance (or lack of it) thus far, it makes for a scary proposition.