Letter: Elections should be about ideas

Thursday, July 22, 2004 | 9:07 a.m.

It doesn't take a political scientist to know that American elections are about winning, exuding optimism and personal attacks on your opponents. Ideas and policies are less important.

Yes, there are differences between the political parties. And some of them are important ones. But every candidate knows, if he is to be successful, he must allow the string-pulling managers of his campaign pablum to have their way.

I will vote for Ralph Nader in the November general election because he is the only candidate who is saying that ideas are important, that you have to stand for something. To those caught up in this election's whirlwind insult to the intelligence of the American voter, maybe that is enough. Even "throwing your vote away" is preferable to not protesting the notion that the electorate is stupid or easily manipulated.

STEVEN C. WILSON

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