THE PUBLIC MIND: ELECT CANDIDATES WHO BRING REAL CHANGE

To the Editor:

Fellow Americans, do you remember what you felt when you heard in February, March, April ... that Ross Perot offered himself as a possible presidential candidate? Do you remember why you wanted to jump foursquare into an effort to accomplish something which had not been done since 1860 that is, to elect an outside-party presidential candidate?

I expect you were stunned and somewhat angry at our standardbearer's sudden exit. I was. So was just about everyone I talked with. Should we dwell on that which we cannot change or instead on what we might be able to achieve?

The reasons for the Perot campaign remain. Our Congress imperial, our chief executive asleep at the helm of the Ship of State, our government has grown unresponsive to the needs of our people. I need not go into detail about our numerous problems: debt and the deficit, social upheaval, education, unemployment, and a Congress that exempts itself from the laws it proscribes for us. And on and on.

How many of you reading this letter truly believe that this country will be better off with either four more years of George Herbert Hoover Bush or with Pretty Boy Bill, governor of the "fortysomething" state. I don't have to list George's many failings. But after 11 years as CEO of Arkansas, why should Clinton be promoted when his dominion ranks forty-this or forty-that in most economic, labor, environmental, and other statistics (but last in occupational safety ratings)?

Still, given events, it is unrealistic to expect to propel Perot to the pinnacle of power. We have two options. We can flock as meek sheep to the same promises, Brand R or Brand D, expiration dates included though not revealed. Or we can band together to continue the movement we were convinced was crucial for our country when we joined Citizens for Perot.

Washington is petty partisanship, the greed for perks and privilege, arrogance and self-importance, and perhaps worst of all a cowardly refusal of the president and Congress alike to clean up the mess of voodoo economics. The parties and their poobahs we've elected are too remote from us to represent us anymore.

Where do you stand? If you believe you have the commitment that it takes to begin the real grass roots revolution, we would like to hear from you.

We would like to strongly suggest that for 1992 our goal is a achieve nationwide voters who will stop, look and listen to all candidates running for public office, especially our Congress and Senate. Study their voting records if they're an incumbent. We cannot continue "business as usual." Check out the newcomers on the political scene. Information is available ... you must look.

The key towards making this goal realistic may just lie in voter registration drives and getting people who might otherwise stay at home, to vote. Since 1960, voter participation has steadily dropped, perhaps in tandem with our government's performance and the state of the country. In 1988, only 50.16 percent of citizens (18+) voted. In Illinois, about 53 percent. Minnesota lead the nation with 66.33 percent turnout. Think what we might accomplish if we were to approach Minnesota's rate, if we got the too-turned-off-to-vote voter, to vote, for our protest candidate? In our state, a seven or eight point increase in the voting level would produce over 500,000 votes.

Chances are, the Republic will survive four more years of either Tweedledumb or Tweedledumber. But how much longer are we going to be able to believe where we are going with Bush or Clinton?

Every time we hold our noses and vote for the lesser of two evils, we perpetuate a system that time and again produces the evil of two lessers. How much longer are you going to give in to that system?

The long-term mechanics of making our goal viable and electing candidates who bring real change to government will not come easily. But Rome wasn't built ... you know.

In Illinois, there are people who are coordinating this movement. In you are interested, contact Jim Wissinger in Cairo (618-734-2180), Dan Counts in Granite City (618-452-1905) or David Laux in Cahokia (618-337-7249).

Jim Wissinger

Cairo