Letter: Deciding not to vote doesn’t help choose our country’s president

Thank you Benton-Franklin and Columbia Basin voters for turning out for the Aug. 2 primary. Local and statewide candidates appreciated your support. Let’s plan to have an even bigger turnout for Nov. 8.

We may be weary of or turned off this year by the battle at the top of the ticket. But deciding not to vote doesn’t help choose our country’s president. Haven’t you heard, this may be the most important election of our lifetime? 70 percent believe we are on the wrong track, why not change and get back on track?

What are the issues? Economy, taxes, jobs, unemployment, national defense, terrorism, health care benefits and costs, and law and order, to name a few.

A campaign quote from 1980 is apropos — “Are you better off today than you were four years ago?” We have less spending money, fewer jobs, more unemployment, national defense preparedness at the lowest level since 1948, terrorists threaten the homeland, health care costs are skyrocketing, and our law enforcement officers are under siege.

Let’s make voting a top priority. While you are at it, remember to return Republican Larry Haler to Olympia for state representative 8th District Pos 2.

This story was originally published August 31, 2016 at 4:15 AM with the headline "Letter: Deciding not to vote doesn’t help choose our country’s president."