Great story …

RE: “US Elections Need International Observers”

10/13/00

Great article. It’s extremely disturbing that Ralph Nader would be ushered out of the audience during the debates, since he had a legal right to be there. Even more disturbing is the removal of minority voters from the system by the corrupt war on drugs. Keep up the great work representing the facts.

Mike Ajemian
New York

10/13/00

I think the article hits it right on the head. The two parties now in power are supported by the same corporations, so the decisions made will be the same regardless of who wins. These folks don’t give money out of the goodness of their hearts, they expect results. The other candidates are a threat to their system.

Richard Legge

RE: “US Elections Need International Observers”

10/13/00

I’m really disappointed to find that your article on third parties does exactly what it protests. Libertarian Party candidate Harry Browne is polling alongside Buchanan, and even overtaking him in some polls. Yet no mention of him! Granted, not much mention of Buchanan either, and it’s obvious that Nader is the third party candidate you’re concerned about. Too bad — Harry has a lot of great ideas and it’s very sad that the MoJo Wire can’t give him the time of day. You’re missing a really important point in leaving him out of an article like this.

Amy Lawrence

10/13/00

It’s great that you mentioned Nader and Buchanan, but you didn’t mention America’s largest “third party”, the Libertarian Party. With almost no coverage, Harry Browne is about tied with Buchanan and beating Nader in several states. Plus, the Libertarian Party is running about 1,500 candidates for office this year, enough to have a majority in congress.

But this is never reported. I urge you to be the one to start.

Sean Landon

RE: “Stan Trek: Things Can Only Get Worse”

10/12/00

As one who has traveled to Russia many times on business and who knows multitudes of others who have and continue to do so, I would find Mr. Rall’s article comical, if it were not such a stinging, one-sided and obvious attempt to vent his frustrations at some isolated or fantasized experience. Perhaps he and his friends were victims of “profiling” — that nasty habit of stereotyping that all too many still employ in the art of crud detection.

The only thing bizzaro about about this story is the story itself. It is full of gross distortions. I suggest if Mr. Rall is seriously considering a career as a journalist, he might wish to untangle his personal beefs/fantasies apart from the need to present balanced content for his readers and, as well, extract himself from his alter ego.

The world is full of faux facts. Mr. Rall is just contributing to the already excessive collection of them and giving the few remaining honest journalists a bad name.

Royce Stanton

RE: “Innocence for Sale”

10/12/00

I cannot fathom children selling sex in Costa Rica, or anywhere. It sounds like Costa Rica needs programs that will teach parents, how to be parents and that child abuse is definitely NOT part of being a parent. It seems from your article the problem starts at home.

There is no reason why the Costa Rican government cannot even control their own people and damn the people who even think about having sex with a child. They are out of control and need to be punished. These pigs are taking any innocence that these children deserve and ruining them mentally as well as physically.

If the Costa Rican Government cannot control such deplorable conditions happening in their own country, it’s time for a world organizations to step in and teach these people to love and guide their children rather than abuse them.

Machelle Okey

RE: “US Elections Need International Observers”

10/12/00

Of course our democracy is flawed. Third parties, fourth parties, and fifth parties have been on the ballot in NY for decades. The Green party is a recent arrival, and has failed to establish itself. It certainly should not displace entities like the liberal, conservative, or libertarian parties.

As for disenfranchised felons, we also do not allow non-citizens to vote, carry firearms, or contribute money (except to Al Gore in Buddhist Temples) to elections.

International observers should also look at the way the legislative process ignores the constitution, voting themselves immunity to laws and violating the second amendment. And then what? If the US does not meet the international observers standards, will the likes of Japan and Russia slap on a trade embargo? Perhaps you support an armed invasion to restore democracy?

The truth is, our government is our own concern, and the government of Peru is the Peruvian people’s concern. International busy-bodies are a waste of time.

Donald L. Meaker
Sealy, Texas

RE: “Stan Trek: Things Can Only Get Worse”

10/11/00

I sympathize with you so much. This article explains why so many of us have nightmares for years after leaving Russia — and why we do not want to return. For you it was an adventure; for us it was everyday life. Pity that people in the US do not appreciate all that they have “for free.”

Vladimir Patryshev

RE: “Cheney’s Checkbook Democracy”

10/9/00

So much for Cheney’s claim to have had nothing to do with Washington since leaving the Bush administration. Apparently his hypocrisy knows no limits.

Tim Casto