[Sosfbay-discuss] My Letter on "Reform" in Today's Murky News

[alexcathy at aol.com]

Dear Green Friends,

For what it's worth, the San Jose Mercury News printed my general pitch 
for "Reform" with the Green Party today.

I've had three letters-to-the-editor printed in the "Murky News" in 
three years.  I guess this is my "quota" for 2006.


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Readers? Letters Printed in the San Jose Mercury News, Saturday, Feb 4, 
2006
(On the Web at 
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/opinion/13791440.htm)

MAJOR PARTIES NOT THE ONLY CHOICE

I saw two editorials for reform this week: ``Voters should demand 
sunshine law'' (Jan. 30) and ``Redistricting reform may yet emerge from 
Legislature'' (Jan 31). H.L. Mencken said, ``Under democracy one party 
always devotes its chief energies to trying to prove that the other 
party is unfit to rule -- and both commonly succeed, and are right.'' 
At long last, after swinging from Republican to Democrat to Republican, 
it's time to make a space for independent candidates and parties like 
(dare I say it?) the California Green Party. Republicans and Democrats 
collaborate to keep things just the way they are. We need [to] have 
instant runoff voting, proportional representation and public financing 
of campaigns. No less importantly, we need the media to quit pretending 
Democrats and Republicans are our only choice.

Alex Walker
Milpitas
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P.S.:

They deleted my reference to the "San Jose Democratic Party Machine" 
and my assertion that the "Santa Clara Republicans are a joke," but 
that's okay.  This way my letter is, as they say, positive and upbeat.