Voting straight ticket is not an intelligent move

TO THE EDITOR:

Regardless of your choice for president senator or governor voting straight ticket is undemocratic. The efforts being made by local political parties to get people to vote straight ticket do not help you the voter make an informed decision — it merely takes advantage of blind party loyalty.

If you support Barack Obama then vote for him. If you support John McCain vote for him. But there is no requirement that you then vote straight Democratic or Republican on the rest of the ballot. Be aware of what you're getting into. In an election when change is the driving motivation for voters try to take into account who the incumbents are what their voting records may be their individual platforms their campaign contributors and whether they have actually done the job for which they were elected.

As a case in point David Price the Democratic congressional incumbent of this district would automatically receive your vote if you vote straight ticket but be aware that he has repeatedly voted to fund the Iraq war voted for the PATRIOT Act without actually reading it supports the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility and he has even implied that he supports an invasion of Pakistan. One of his biggest campaign contributors is the defense industry. Is this who you want to represent you?

Do not assume that because you vote straight ticket you are getting the candidates that will represent you. Choose each candidate carefully — believe me it doesn't take all that much time to fill out the ballot carefully rather than voting straight ticket.



William Harris

Sophomore

Political Science

History