Editor, Times-Union: First, a brief history. I am 74 and have voted in every primary and regular election since turning 21. Most of those votes have been Republican, all have been conservative. Now, in the past couple of elections, we the people have elected a large majority of Republicans to the House and a majority of Republicans to the Senate. I ask, “What has changed?” As I see it, basically nothing. Each election year the Democrats explain their ridiculous giveaway programs and tell the public how mean the Republicans are. Then the Republicans tell us how we cannot afford the Democrat programs, must cut spending, and on and on it goes. When the election is over, you can put the whole bunch in a bag, pour them out one at a time and no one can tell any of them one from another by their votes or blather. For the past few years it has been extremely disappointing to listen, vote and watch nothing change. At least it is no longer disappointing, it moved to embarrassing, but fortunately that didn’t last very long. It is now humiliating to be identified with the Republican Party. As Reagan said about the Democrats, “I didn’t leave them, they left me.” When both parties have left us, the conservative voting public, where are we to turn politically? I have begun to suspect that there is a secret “hospital” all elected Republicans must go to had have their spine, guts and cajones removed. Who I favor is not important here, what is important is how the election/selection process is being conducted. It appears the primaries are no longer of value, the “Big Guys” just do their selection and we have to live with it. The elected do not listen to us, their primary motivation is to get re-elected and therefore they succumb to the wishes of sugar daddies. We need to return to a nation of values – honor, honesty, responsibility and, yes, a Godly spiritual perspective. I firmly believe that if we do, the nation will heal. If we do not, we will reap disaster and have only ourselves to blame. Still voting (but not sure why). Dennis Andrews Etna Green
