From Scottie Martin, Watauga, TN:

I would like to encourage other Ziegler readers to take an interest in politics. It is annoying listening to politicians sell themselves. Each candidate tries to convince us of his or her qualifications. I've heard people say that they don't want anything to do with a party because they are voting for the individual--not the party. Each party will choose the candidate whom they believe best promotes its agenda. Next summer each party will choose one candidate, then we'll be voting for the party. If we vote in the primaries, we will be voting for one candidate. Our vote may not choose the winner, but voting for a loser is not all bad--and it's a cheap license to complain. If the loser gets enough support, the winner will take notice.