10/17/2000

Presidential Candidates: Reader Opinions

Thank you for taking the time to express your opinions about the candidates for president and vice-president. There is considerable food for thought in your letters, as they represent a wide variety of viewpoints. I will continue to post letters about the national presidential slate, so please check back often to read about what Connecticut voters think about the issues as well as the candidates.

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I am a newly registered voter, signing onto the Republican Party ticket. I will vote for George W. Bush and Dick Cheney this November. Cheney he is an excellent choice for Vice President. During the debate with Lieberman, he definitely confirmed that thought. Cheney was so in control; he knew the issues, especially when it came to the military. Lieberman was no match for him. Personally, I don't see how any sane person could vote for Al Gore. Nothing that comes out of his mouth is true.

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I'm writing to you about Secretary of State Dick Cheney's marvelous performance at the Vice Presidential debate last Thursday. I believe that Mr. Cheney conducted himself very well and answered all the questions given to him, such as social security, the environment and the military, in which Mr. Cheney is very knowledgeable. I'm proud that Gov. Bush chose Dick Cheney as his running mate and I believe they will both perform a better job in the White House, if elected. I was upset by the way Vice President Gore acted during the first Presidential debate against Gov. Bush; he was sighing repeatedly, nodding his head and just plain acting like the spoiled "rich kid" that he is.

He's like Clinton's shadow and if elected, will raise our taxes, especially against senior citizens who need their prescription drugs desperately and under an affordable plan.

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Read My Lips: No New Texans, and I don't want a son of a Bush in the White House. After the debates, I still don't want Bush, though I am a bit more impressed with Cheney. Not enough to vote for him because I hate the Republican budget. It's irresponsible and too much supply side, something Reagan taught us does not work. I also just don't trust Bush. When he said in the debate that he's a former oilman, what he didn't say is that as an oilman, he failed. Repeatedly. Only Daddy's buddies kept him in business. We do not need that kind of cronyism in charge of this country (campaign finance gives us enough of that.)

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The strongest feeling I got from the debates is that both parties have the tickets backwards: the VP candidates each seem stronger and more capable than the Presidential candidates. The other thought I had from the VP debate was "gee, imagine that: voters are going to have to decide this race on the issues, not on character assassination." That's as it should be. So for me, there is no question: the Gore-Lieberman ticket represents the best choice for most Americans.

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The choices are clear for most Americans. Mr. Gore is part of the most ethically corrupt presidency in our history. And he had a hand in it. Some things to remember:

1) Despite rhetoric to the contrary, Mr. Gore has cut Social Security while in office. He cast the tie-breaking vote to raise the minimum age to receive social security from 65 to 67. He also raised the wage ceiling on which SS is taxed.

2) This administration upset that their national health insurance program was not passed in 1993, decided to get revenge on our health care system by cutting Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements to hospitals and doctors. The result? Almost every hospital in Connecticut is losing money. The government mandates that hospitals treat the poor, then they cut the reimbursement levels for providing that treatment.

3) The most graphic example of who Al Gore is can be seen in his part in the Monica Lewinsky matter. Mr. Gore defended Mr. Clinton, and initiated personal and government-led attacks on his critics. Yet, the day that Mr. Clinton went on national TV to admit his illegal activity, Mr. Gore was not with him. Tipped off in advance on Mr. Clinton's announcement, Mr. Gore got out of town! He went to Japan on a trumped up PR visit.

Educated Americans who get the facts know that the best choice in November is the Bush/Cheney ticket.

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I believe that the Gore/Lieberman team offers America an opportunity to focus on the future. It seemed that Gov. Bush reached back to the past to his dad's days to find Cheney. There are many current Republican's that might have better served him. Mr. Cheney seems like a nice person but he seems to offer some conflicts based on his voting record.

The choice for the future to tackle the difficult problems is clear. Al Gore has the cerebral sense to analyze issues and the ability to think on his feet to express them. Gore/Lieberman have a commitment to make Education a central issue. Education is an opportunity for all, not just for those who can afford it.

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I was ashamed to continue watching the presidential debate. They acted like children. Two grown men hoping the family name will help them get elected. What came across to me was sheer arrogance and I didn't really even care what they had to say.

On the other hand I loved the VP debate. A much better presentation, a roundtable discussion and both came off terrific. There was a considerable amount of similarity between them, and I think that if Joe Lieberman could come off the way he typically does and not this modified version for Gore's sake, he and Cheney would make a terrific partnership. It's a coin toss, because what I really like is the VP candidates. This is truly a unique thing as I bet the rest of the country feels similarly. Perhaps time to rethink one party rule. I would love to see co-heads of state from each major party.

Is Morris the cat running again?

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All we're going to get from political parties will be sound-bitten, shrink-wrapped, and feeble automatons. It's about time we rethink the entire party system...it has given us scandal, corruption, a conduit for soft money, and by dominating the process through primaries and conventions, it has hijacked the constitution and made it serve, not the people, but the narrow interests of party politics. There is no requirement in law to allow the continued existence of any political party. All of them should be banned.

Let the candidates get their publicity through deeds, their candidacy through petitions to the ballot, and their victories by appealing to the people and not corporations, organized labor, or special interests of any ilk.

The right way to elect a president is to start with electing state legislators. From those bodies come the selections for electors for the president with the advice and consent of the people through their votes.

However, the parties hijacked that process with the winner-take-all laws of the states, which give a marginal winner of the popular vote all of the electoral votes. That is why 3rd party candidates get nowhere. By allowing the Electoral College to proportionally represent the popular vote, and then taking the election into a deliberative body (where they can examine things like campaign tactics) we can have a president who represents the people instead of representing special interests.

Finally, outlaw campaign advertising. That will mean that candidates have to act and speak in a way to attract the press and thus the attention of the people. Anyone who does crazy things just to attract attention will be quickly figured out by the people and the electors. Without the expense of advertising there will be less need for fund raising, but there will be a greater need for debate and serious talk about issues.

In order to be elected to any office, I think the candidate should get greater than a simple majority -- say a 2/3 vote to win an election. If no one gets it, then hold another election. Perhaps 2/3 of the Electoral College would suffice. But the reasoning is that if someone isn't worthy enough (this could apply to the passage of laws too) to gain a 2/3 plurality, then they probably aren't very good in the first place.

Naturally, more people would have to become involved in the political process, vote, carry petitions, and, of course, do that four letter word: Duty.

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My disgust runneth over. On one hand we have the Democrats who have entered the outer limits of the left and on the other hand we have the Republicans who have entered the outer limits of the right. From the mouths of candidates issues forth gobbledygook and nonsense like we have never heard before.

It is ok to kill unborn children and the movement is on to convince you that it is all right to take your own life if you think the quality of your life is diminished. We are drowning in a sea of national debt, but we should give tax cuts to the wealthy so they can buy things, thereby giving the rest of us jobs producing the objects of their desire.

Our State and U.S. Supreme Courts make up rights that do not exist and legislate from the bench in violation of the U.S. Constitution. We put the poor and mentally insane on death row because they can not afford an attorney who can give them an adequate defense. How many innocent people might we have put to death if not for the advent of DNA testing? If these lunatics are the best our country has to offer, then I think we are in deep you know what!

I feel like Alice who has fallen into the rabbit hole and entered into Wonderland, a place so strange and alien that she says things just keep getting "curiouser and curiouser." Somebody, please wake me from this nightmare!

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As an Independent Voter, I don't usually vote straight Democratic or Republican Party. Usually I determine my vote especially by the debates.

I am very disappointed that neither Nader nor Buchanan was allowed to be involved in the debates. If they were allowed to be involved, we would get a more rounded picture as to whom to vote for.

I do believe I will be voting for Vice President Al Gore and Senator Joe Lieberman. Both of them appear verbally to be for the middle class individuals, which basically comprise the majority of individuals in this country.

Mr. Cheney appears to be very eloquent in what is basically needed but I do not trust what Governor George W. Bush is saying.

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Spare me from the candidate who is for the middle class. Politicians have been for the middle class taxpayer as long as I can remember. We are now up to our teeth with all the tax relief we never get from do-gooder politicians. Give me Bush. At least he is letting you know who is going to get the tax break. Unlike Gore who goes whichever way the wind happens to be blowing that minute. I admire G. W. for his stand against abortion. Even though some say it will cost him the election, he does not change his opinion for a vote. He at least stands for what he believes.

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Mr. Cheney would be a better candidate for President. Mr. Bush and Mr. Gore scare me. There have to be better men and women out there to be our next Presidents. The more I see and hear from my Senator, the more I don't like him. Hopefully we can get through the next 4 years without any major crisis and we can find some new blood. Maybe Mrs. Dole?

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Although I am registered to a party, I have always voted for the individual that I felt would best serve the people!

I have watched several different news channels over the last several months to get a fair and balanced view of both candidates. I have been so embarrassed with the White House and it's occupants for the last eight years that I can not honestly vote for Al Gore. Unfortunately dishonesty has rubbed off on him from being connected to the White House. Joe Lieberman has been an asset to Connecticut, but he too is changing his tune as he hangs around with Mr. Gore.

George W. Bush will be a "fresh face" to Washington and although he may not have all the answers, he and Cheney will pick advisors and cabinet members who will help make the correct decisions needed to run our country, orderly and with "dignity".

Remember that other Governor's, like Ronald Reagan & Bill Clinton, were governors before becoming presidents. Therefore, the argument that George W. Bush does not have enough experience because he has only been a governor does not hold water! I honestly believe that Mr. Bush will work with both parties and get things done. The White House needs new faces and names residing within its walls!

Just as an aside to my comments, I took part in five news polls for the Presidential debate and the Vice Presidential debates and all five polls had Bush in the 70% to 90% range, yet Gore won. How is that possible? The Vice Presidential debate also showed Cheney between 65% and 92%, however, in his case, the news media said he won. I see bias in the news media. Does anyone else?

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I would like to comment on the candidates and the extreme importance to our country regarding law enforcement. I believe that at least two US Supreme Court Justices are going to be replaced during the next presidential term.

If the Democrats get elected, they will attempt to appoint liberal- minded Justices. The effect on this country's law enforcement abilities will be directly affected by this decision in the worst possible way. Liberal justices decide law enforcement issues with the criminal's rights in mind. They are concerned with how the police obtained evidence, evidence that the criminal possessed anyway. I am not talking about stopping mom and dad's car on a Sunday drive. I am talking about murderers, rapists, robbers, burglars, drug dealers, child molesters, etc. Liberals will look out for the rights of these people before they look out for the rights of victims. They are not concerned with the victims' rights at all.

Just look at the recent incident with the male in Chicago who ran when he saw the police car. The police stopped the man and found a handgun on him. Since he was a convicted felon and the law forbids him owning a handgun, he was arrested. One of the Liberal US Supreme Court Justices was interviewed on the news and he said, " I would run from the police too if I were a black man in Chicago." Liberals live on the premise that the rights of the individual outweigh the rights of the community.

A liberal is just someone who has not been the victim of a crime yet. It is funny how most of them blame the police for not doing their job when they become victims. Yet it is their liberal laws and court decisions that have tied the hands of the police and created this revolving door syndrome in our criminal justice system.

I usually vote Republican due to the conservative thinking regarding our court system. I know that the republicans are for the rich, for big business, against environmental concerns, etc., but this year, we must get conservative justices in the US Supreme Court or our country will continue to slide downhill when it comes to enforcing the law in a common sense manner.

Regarding Lieberman, I always thought he was a good politician until I saw how he came out against Clinton verbally. Then when it came time to take action, he backed down and sided with Clinton. He also is known for speaking out against the video and movie industry regarding violence. Yet, there he is going to fundraisers with Hollywood. Another example of two faces.

Are 99% of politicians like that? Sure they are. We just have to choose the least destructive person. The people of this country have been getting fed nothing but scraps from the political table. We have to choose among the scraps put before us. It would be nice to have a steak or lobster placed before us.

Dick Cheney is a military hero and knows more about the armed services and how our country should be dealing with the military situation than any other candidate. He is not a draft dodger like Clinton. He has proven his dedication to our country. There is a man who can hold up his head with pride.

Lieberman has already proven to the people that he will vote for the popular item and he will side with his party's wishes no matter what his personal views. Gore has proven that he will say anything to get elected (such as when he was against abortion many years ago and now says he was never against it.)

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Dick Cheney is a person of great stature and will help to bring back great stature and respect to the White House. As you know he has worked at high levels of rank both in Government and the private sector and thus he understands both sides of the dynamics of American life. Hence, he can be an invaluable asset to G. W. Bush, not only as a great advisor but also as an overseer of our country's growth and development. Mr. Cheney as former Secretary of Defence under Pres. Bush and a former Cabinet member under Pres. Ford is a good example of the type of leadership G. W. Bush will appoint to help lead our country in the right direction.

I know from experience that great leadership is the ability to make the right calls at the right times and be able to delegate the right jobs to the appropriate people. Leaders are not necessarily experts themselves, but are experts in being able to get the right jobs done with the right people.

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First, I would like to thank Gore for "taking the initiative to create the Internet."

Not once during the debate did either candidate mention "liberty" or "freedom". We heard about how the federal government would be further expanded into education. Leave it to the states, as per the 10th amendment. Well, they probably wouldn't know about that since they have probably never read the Constitution.

If I had to pick one of those two, it would be Bush, but that's not the extent of my choices, so I'll pick the only other party on the ballot in all 50 states, the Libertarians.

Harry Browne, the Libertarian candidate, gets my vote. I want to be able to live my life the way I see fit, and not the way politicians tell me I should live it. I want politicians to take the oath to uphold and abide by the Constitution and actually do it.

I don't want politicians telling me that I need to wear a seatbelt. I can decide that for myself. People will say it's a wasted vote, but I will no longer decide between "the lesser of two evils". Picking one of the big two sends the message that it's okay to let the government continue on its downward course.

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Please send questions or comments to bbruno@snet.net.