Are we all just brainwashed? Everyone I know has to officially take a party. I really feel it’s important to not just vote for any one party line – isn’t that a form of brainwashing? I feel it’s best to look at each candidate for what he believes in, what his goals are, etc., regardless of which party he belongs to.

All the parties have good and bad people and ideas. Are the Republicans/Libertarians/tea party always the good politicians who are always correct while the Democrats are all bad people who are always wrong? Or vice versa? It’s not always just purely left or right, but it’s right or wrong, and believe it or not, it’s pretty close to 50/50 of the good, bad and the ugly, while they all sell out for money or for politics! Obama promised to get something done about immigration and then backed out or sold out as he realized it would hurt the Democrats at these midterm elections. In the end, they all sell out.

You know who really elects the people in power? The independents! Think about it: 98 percent of the people pick a party and pretty much votes it straight down the line, and that’s always about 49 percent left and 49 percent right, but that 2 percent of voters that float back and forth, who are savvy, who watch the real news and can see past the way they were just brought up (voting like their parents or state) and can see past all the brainwashing and just votes for the right person: That 2 percent controls each election. Each of their votes counts like a 1,000 votes! If 2 percent controls the swing, what’s 2 percent of people who vote? Not that many! Don’t be a slave to any one party: Step outside the box. Plus, not being an automatic robot voter will keep the politicians somewhat honest, or at least make them try to please their voters. Rise above and become the ones who truly determine the next outcome of the next election!

Walter Cobler

Bayfield