Letter: Major parties control politics

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Friday, May 26, 2000 | 9:29 a.m.

If voters only vote for their narrow self-interests, and not for the broader good, they are giving Democrats and Republicans the power to assure that splinter candidates, no matter how qualified, do not have an opportunity to be heard on the national stage.

Both the Democrat and the Republican parties have a vested interest to work against any third party and, since they write the rules, will use all means to keep their monopoly.

Do you think that the debate between George W. Bush and Vice President Al Gore will be improved by having to debate Ralph Nader, Alan Keyes and Pat Buchanan on the same stage? I do! Can their differing views and ideology add another dimension and force the major candidates to expand the agenda? What have they to fear from honest debate with these three intelligent, patriotic and dedicated candidates?

Let us have open debate in our elections by including splinter candidates, without restrictive rules being written by the major parties to protect their monopoly on our political system.

FRANK PERNA