LETTERS: THE ISSUE IS HONESTY

To the editor:

Can you tell the difference between the Republican and Democratic parties? Both seem to be preaching about the same problems. In fact, it seems that the race is to be the first to be for or against some issue that the American people have already made their desires known about. Welfare reform is a good example. With so little distinction between the parties, how is one to know how to vote?

It is not as hard as it may seem. One thing is clear: Although the parties attempt to solve the same problems, their approaches are much different. The Democratic solutions invariably call for more government involvement in our lives.

There is one other distinction: honesty. Gov. Mel Carnahan is running an ad linking his opponent, Margaret Kelly, with his previous Republican opponent, Bill Webster. It would seem to be a good idea to associate her with a convicted criminal, but the tactic has backfired. This ad is a statement of Carnahan's honesty, trustworthiness and arrogance. The ad calls Kelly the running mate of Webster, yet there is no such position in Missouri politics. And Kelly ran for state auditor, not lieutenant governor.

Besides being intentionally misleading, Carnahan's logic makes him Judith Moriarty's running mate. In case you have forgotten, she was impeached for misusing he secretary of state position.

RON CALZONE

Dixon