LETTERS: SOME DEMOCRATS MAY BE LEANING TO THE GOP SIDE

To the editor:

A few days ago a friend remarked that his family were Democrats in name but that their values were much closer to those of the Republican Party. This caused me to wonder if other Democrats had similar feelings. Ronald Reagan, who was for many years a registered Democrat, was once asked why he left the Democratic Party. His answer was that he didn't leave the party but that the Democratic Party left him.

Looking back over the Clinton-Gore administration, it is clear what the Democratic Party has become by examining what it has defended and promoted. Gore claimed that Clinton would be judged as "one of our greatest presidents." Congressional Democrats and a few cowardly Republicans defended and excused an impeached president who lied under oath.

Clinton vetoed a ban on partial-birth abortions and passed one of the largest tax increases in history, which increased taxes on Social Security payments. The Clinton-Gore administration has neglected the military while using it for purely political purposes.

Now Al Gore is asking for his chance to further advance his liberal agenda. Isn't it time to put the adults back in charge?

George W. Bush offers the nation a chance to break cleanly from the corrupt Clinton-Gore administration. His conservative values most accurately reflects the values that most Americans hold dear. He has pledged to break through the partisan fighting that has characterized Washington in the past few years and restore dignity and honor to the White House. That would certainly be a welcome change.

JOHN HELDERMAN

Whitewater, Mo.