My LTTE - WaPo: Eight Key Issues

[longship]

As reported in this DU thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2738252&mesg_id=2738252

Here's my LTTE on this:

Dear editors,

On July 24, 2006, Under the rubric, "Bellwethers - Key Issues in the Battle for Congress", Dan Balz lists "Eight Issues That Will Shape the 2006 Elections". I don't know if it is how these issues are framed, or if it's just that Balz and the WaPo staff are too wrapped up in DC politics to open their eyes to what's happening out here in the real world. The so-called "Eight Issues" read more like the top eight topics at DC Insider Cocktail Parties than substantive issues which might effect voters' decisions in November.

I can't imagine many people, standing in the voting booth pondering which lever to pull, would be considering whether Republicans can win in the Northeast, or whether the Iraq War came home this month, or whether Democrats can compete in the Upper South (wherever that might be). The continual reporting about process instead of issues does a disservice to both the Post and to its readers. The issues which are important to voters will decide the election, not what DC insiders think is important.

I think Tip O'Neill pretty much hit the nail on the head when he stated that all politics are local. The issues that are important are either national issues which touches the voter personally or local issues which have resonance in Congress. I assure you that none of them are "whether the immigration issue can save Republicans".

In my forty years of political activism I've never seen things as volatile as they are now. This pretty much puts us in uncharted waters on this election cycle. I think that is the reason why the Post avoids the issues; you really have no idea what's important to the voters. That's also why you resort to making news out of the DC cocktail party chatter. It's not news. Please stop it.

I have an idea. The Washington Post reports the facts on all the issues, letting the voters decide what is important. Then, after we all vote, the Washington Post gets to report the results. Simple and effective. It also saves a lot of space that would otherwise be wasted on ponderous speculations on "Will the corruption issue (in the nation's congress) go national?"

[NewJeffCT]

1. good letter

reporting of the facts would be nice...

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. Oh, I like it!

Especially the last paragraph!

[Jazzgirl]

3. Wonderful letter!

It would be nice if ALL the MS-infotainment would report the facts....we decide.