ON THE ELECTION

Special Report

Democracy has worked, albeit somewhat shabbily, I think. I hope that those in the position to do so will continue to investigate the questions behind this election, not so much to continue the rhetoric against Obama as to get the answers that we are entitled to know.

There are also things that need to be changed, such as the ability for foreigners to invest so heavily in our election process. They have no right to do so. And, the ability to "buy" an election needs to be stopped; it puts the country at the mercy of "big money." Another major concern is the influence that the media has been allowed to have in the selection process. I believe that they should be confined to unbiased and balanced reporting on the candidates with their right to voice opinions confined to opinion pages and clearly labeled opinion broadcast segments.

I have a sincere concern about the ability to perpetrate fraud in the counting of votes. In the 21st century, with all of the technologies we have available to us, we surely must have the ability to get fraud out of the system. What incentive do I have to vote if my vote will not be counted or illegal votes will be counted? I, for example, was never asked for identification; my signature was not compared to my signature on file. How many precincts could I have voted in?

The Republican party is beyond broken. It is in a shambles. If it is ever to be a major political party again, it must recruit and build strong leadership from within. McCain was a weak candidate and did not exude the basic, conservative principles of the party. Palin was a refreshing entry onto the national political scene but, let's face it; she needs more training and experience. Somehow, I think that the thought of having a soccer mom in the Presidency turned some people off.

We must be vigilant in the coming four years. There have already been some sinister implications, with Black Panther activity on election day and the soviet flag being displayed in front of the White House by groups celebrating the Obama victory. We who believe in our country must be constantly aware of what could be if Obama's associations have a purpose they feel that they can now fulfill.

This is America. We all love it for what it represents to us, including the fundamental values upon which it was built. We now have the fundamental responsibility to restore those values to the prominence in our daily lives and in our governing institutions which they, at one time, possessed. In doing so, we must strive to identify and nurture better candidates for the leadership of our great nation among all political parties.

That's MY AMERICAN OPINION, respectfully submitted.