Dear Editor

First I want to thank all of the people who went out and cast their votes for mid-term elections. Your votes did count and your voices were heard. Congratulations.

Next, I want to urge your readers to contact their legislators and ask them to produce a plan for cleaning up the problems with the voting procedures and machinery. It is a sad day in America when the public cannot depend on their votes being counted. It is an even sadder day when voters turn up to be deceased, have voted twice, or have voted and the machine displays the opposite party. How can our American government employees expect to spread democracy, into other countries, if we cannot control our own form of democracy? What a laughing stock we must appear to the Muslim Nations, when there are so many deficiencies in our own voting procedures. They must be asking themselves, "why is democracy a better form of government?" PLEASE encourage your readers to take this matter seriously, we have two years left before the Presidential campaign. E-mail or write to your legislators and lets get this problem solved.

My last request is for your readers to speak loudly and clearly to their Congressmen and Presidential hopefuls about mud slinging. I was aghast at the amount of negativity surrounding the mid-term elections. It seemed to be a free for all in tattling. What has happened to the people we choose to represent us in our government? Is it more important to tell dirt, than to proclaim battle fought and won? I would have preferred to hear our candidates telling what they HAD DONE or INTENDED TO DO, than tattle on the other candidate. I was disgusted to hear people calling others ugly and wondering how their partners could have married them. How low a blow can our politicians deliver? Again, how does this type of behavior support us in the battle against dictatorship and the encouragement of democracy in other nations? We have become much less than the legacy our ancestors provided us. I ask your readers, are you satisfied with dishonesty, tattling, not accepting responsibility for one's own actions, and blaming someone else? It is up to the American citizens to demand more from their government employees. Our apathy has helped to create this mess, it is time for the voices of American citizens to continue to be heard. If you expect more from your representatives and use your voice and vote wisely, change can and will come about. This election is PROOF, the little voice was heard. Let your legislators hear your voice, demand action, and don't give up until good change occurs.

Again, thanks to you readers for voting. YOUR VOICES WERE HEARD LOUDLY AND CLEARLY. Make sure you contact your legislators and demand a solution before 2008 to our voting problems. Encourage your legislators and presidential hopefuls to show some restraint, Stop the mudslinging. I expect better behavior and accountability from those who represent me, as I am sure you do.
Don't you think you deserve the best from those who work in our government?

Valerie Gamblin, Cleveland
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