As we enter the final weeks of campaign rhetoric, I give a sigh of relief. We have been subjected to lies, partial lies, partial truths, and inflated promises.

We have two individuals running for president of the United States. Are these two fellows the choice of the people? The answer is no. The average person must depend on two archaic political parties, whose primary goal is to see that the other party does not get elected. We have people who are so brainwashed that they vote a straight party ticket.

Let us take a look at our two hopefuls. Mr. Gore seems to have trouble telling the truth. When we had the crisis in Miami with Elian, he ran right down to Little Cuba to help the Cubans further break the law by delaying the return of the boy to his father. He was at least a veteran of Vietnam even though he had the privilege of a non-combat job, which was probably engineered by his father, a senator.

Let us now look at our second hopeful. His claim to fame is that he is governor of Texas. Let us look at how a person with this questionable IQ was able to be elected. It was oil money that put George Sr.’s boy in office. Young George successfully evaded the Vietnam draft by hiding out in the Texas National Guard. And we must not forget Mr. Cheney, who has been up to his eyeballs in oil. Get ready for gasoline at $2-plus per gallon if these two candidates get into office.

It is the same old story for me on Election Day. I will vote for the lesser of the two evils on the presidential ticket and vote for the best qualified, regardless of party, among the rest of the candidates.

Arlington