Voters are disenfranchised

Voters for presidents in such states as Idaho are essentially disenfranchised. The electoral system for electing the president makes our vote irrelevant … Idaho has become such a one-party state that the Republicans take it for granted and the Democrats consider it hopeless. While both candidates campaign in Davenport, Iowa, the same day, neither national party bothers to campaign in this state.

The vote for president should not matter in which state a person happens to reside. Each person's vote should have equal weight. The antiquated electoral system specified by the second article of the Constitution should be replaced by proportional representation, which would give all citizens an equal vote regardless of residence.

An incumbent president should not use his time and the taxpayers' money to campaign for re-election. After almost four years in office, the people know more than enough about the incumbent and what kind of job he is doing. As president, he already has the advantages of his office to utilize the media and Air Force One in connection with his official duties without campaigning around the country. He should devote 100 percent of his time and effort to the country's business and let the chips fall where they may.

ED BITTNER

Sagle