LETTERS: THIRD PARTIES ARE A CHOICE

To the editor:

Voters frustrated with the negative campaigning of the major parties and their avoidance of discussing major issues such as the national debt, trade imbalance, job loss to foreign countries, campaign finance reform, corporate welfare, tax reform and term limits can make their votes count in this election by voting for the third-party candidates.Not that any of these candidates has a chance of winning an office, but they are the only candidates since Pat Buchanan dropped out of the race who are addressing these issues and more.

Major-party candidates won't seriously discuss controversial issues, because they are afraid of losing some votes of the opposition. They prefer to straddle the fence and watch poll numbers rather than to figure out what they think is best for the country and then to provide some real leadership by sticking out their necks and fighting for it. Also, by providing such leadership they would jeopardize the special-interest money they need to finance their campaigns.

In the 1992 election, by garnering 19 percent of the vote, Ross Perot forced the major parties to include deficit reduction in their subsequent budgets, because they were afraid of what the Perot voters might do in the next election. His votes were probably partly responsible for Newt Gingrich's success in getting his Contract With America adopted by the Republicans, and their takeover of Congress.

By not voting, as is the prediction for this election, citizens are playing into the hands of the special interests which will need to influence fewer voters with glitzy advertising to get their way. A large turnout dilutes the influence of money, and the third-party candidates who receive a good reception will have their issues addressed.

BENJAMIN G. GOODIER

Jackson