LETTERS: THIRD-PARTY INFLUENCE

To the editor:

Political debates can be dry toast, but not for viewers staying tuned to watch the third-party candidates. Larry King offered us a smorgasbord of new ideas in a program following Ross Perot and the main event last Sunday evening.

All candidates on the CNN program agreed it was a waste to vote for either Dole or Clinton. Harry Browne, the Libertarian, added that while there are lots of choices for big-government fans, there is only one choice if you want dramatically smaller government.

"Would you be willing to give up your favorite government program in exchange for not having to pay income tax?" he asked the Larry King audience. He said the cost of our favorite program is having to pay for everyone else's favorite program too.

The Libertarian candidate described a plan to offer Social Security recipients the true security of their own private annuity, paid for by the sale of government assets, instead of the insecurity of the current virtually bankrupt system. He also offered workers the chance to get out from under the burden of 15 percent Social Security taxes. On crime, Mr. Browne pleaded for the release of nonviolent criminals, including marijuana criminals and nonviolent gun-law violators to make room in the inn for murderers, rapists and robbers.

Third parties have been very effective in the past. Larry King made a comment about the effectiveness of Norman Thomas of the Socialist Party. Mr. King said the Socialist Party in 1932 had 32 planks in its platform, and all but one of those goals has since been accomplished.

Harry Browne is the only third-party presidential candidate whose name will appear on the ballot in all 50 states.

GREG TLAPEK

Cape Girardeau

EDITOR'S NOTE: Greg Tlapek is the Libertarian candidate for Congress in Missouri's 8th District.