Letter to the Editor

President campaign to ramp up soon

Dear editor:

Here it is the first week of March 2007. The 2008 presidential election is 20 months away. The first primary and caucus contests are 10 months away. Already, three Democrats and three Republicans have ran and dropped out, and at least 17 more are in the running. These people are campaigning as if the voting is tomorrow.

I am someone who has followed politics since I was eight years old. I have followed it like some people follow a sport. Just like some sports, the election cycle has become a little crazy to say the least. The 17 candidates (and the six who have already dropped out) are doing nothing more than turning off the voters, few of whom go to the polls anyway. This is one of the reasons people have lost interest in the presidential campaign and other electoral processes. We need reform! Columnist David Broder had an idea last week that was first mentioned by 1976 presidential contender Morris Udall. The idea was that during presidential years, any state could have any nonbinding priniary at any time, but only delegates could be chosen on the first Tuesdays of March, April, May, and June. This would give people a chance to examine all of the candidates, who they are, and where they stand. This would give dark horse candidates a chance to present themselves to the voters without spending millions of dollars a year ahead of time. This is a good idea. Mo Udall was a smart man and probably would have made a good President.

I have yet another idea. How about a national primary for both major parties in April. All states would vote on the same day. The top two vote getters would then compete in a runoff primary in June. The winner and their platform would be ratified by the national conventions in the summer. I believe this would be more fair to candidates who have good ideas but little money.

The American presidential election is being turned into a spectacle which, like everyone else in our society, has become money oriented. The rest of the world, already upset with us, is laughing at us this time. One of you 17 candidates out there needs to make election reform a central issue.

David Shipp

Nevada