To the Editor:
At this stage of the election process, most citizens of Maine, regardless of political party affiliation, are worn out by the political ads, debates, name calling, and endless claims of who is the better candidate for a particular political office.
While this process is a foundation of our democracy and a fundamental right outlined in our Constitution, the process is too long, and now a colossal waste of financial resources.
We believe the election process should be shortened to a total of three months and campaign expenditures by candidates capped to a reasonable fixed amount and then indexed to inflation over time. In 12 weeks time, we can initiate the primaries (first six weeks) and the final election process handled in the final six weeks. With the high speed electronic media world we live in today, this is ample time for candidates to clearly articulate and deliver their positions, philosophies and campaign promises.
It is time to affect some “real change”. Our country needs politicians who truly represent the people they serve and not their own self-serving interests or those of their party leaders. They must be willing to work across party lines to co-create legislation of this magnitude. The task to make this type of change will be daunting.
We have not asked the campaigns of Sen. Susan Collins or Rep. Tom Allen if they would support such a change in our election process. However, both have served in Washington for the last 12 years, and their track records clearly demonstrate to us the person most willing to put party affiliations aside, work in a non-partisan fashion, draft legislation, work tirelessly to get legislation passed, and truly effect “real change”.
When we enter our votes, we will vote for the candidate who has consistently demonstrated a successful track record to affect real change for the citizens of Maine, US Senator Susan Collins.
Susan and Ernie Whitehouse, East Boothbay
