Letters to the Editor

I wrote this almost a week ago as an assignment for journalism class, and just now finally submitted it to the Post Dispatch. I'm not holding my breath on it actually being published though.

The voting errors across the board by devices manufactured by the Bush-endorsing Diebold corporation are not too unexpected.

When power is at risk and a group is determined to maintain that power, they will pull behind the scenes strings while catering to their zealots for unconditional support to bring about the desired result and make it look legitimate.

Unless all the votes can be verified by the paper trail back to each voter, there will be manipulation by either party for their own gains. With no paper trail you're just placing faith in something you can't see, and therefore could be mistaken about.

When browsing the STL post's letters to the editor section to try and find a link to an email address to submit it to I came across two other letters I liked:

He can't ignore us
According to Cal Thomas' Nov. 10 column, 55.5 million American voters are elitist, condescending liberals who are just plain wrong. Wait a minute. Those of us who voted for Sen. John Kerry still have our rights as American citizens. We are entitled to and in fact pay for a representative government.

Because we are a very large minority, must we simply accept what the slightly larger majority wants? When did 51 percent become a mandate?

If Thomas had lived in the Roman Empire in the first century, would he have thought the early Christians wrong because they were a small minority? Should they have given up and worshipped along with the pagan majority?

On Nov. 2, Churchill County, Nev., voted for President George W. Bush and brothels. I suppose this means that anyone who lives in this county must agree with the majority that legalized prostitution is an ethical business and a nice family value.

I am sick of being ignored by Bush, Sens. Christopher Bond and Jim Talent, and Rep. Todd Akin. In the 18th century, a group of American patriots shouted, "Taxation without representation is tyranny." Unfortunately, this type of tyranny still prevails in the 21st century. Forty-eight percent of Americans are taxed but have no representation. Our concerns about the war, the economy, the environment, health care and education are ignored.

Real patriots do not remain silent in the face of injustice. Real patriots agree with Thomas Jefferson that "dissent is the highest form of patriotism."

Margaret P. Gilleo
Ladue

Electoral danger
While it is still fresh in our mind, I would like to see a bipartisan commission formed to study and answer the question, "Do we still need the Electoral College?"

Even though I supported Sen. John Kerry, think what a disaster it would have been had he won Ohio and thus won the presidency while President George W. Bush had 3 million more popular votes and lost. I think the country would have come unglued.

We have enough problems without carrying this ticking time bomb around in our back pocket. I have heard several arguments in favor of keeping the Electoral College, but I think it is time to seriously consider moving forward without it and elect the president by direct popular vote.

I would not do this, however, without having a thorough study to make sure that such a move would not create more problems than it would solve.

Bill Schwegman
Carbondale, Ill.