Letters to the editor

I encourage you to send a different message this election cycle. A message that the major candidates aren’t good enough.

The political atmosphere is very different this year. It’s as divided as ever. Most people I talk to don’t trust either candidate. Donald Trump is brash and doesn’t think through his statements, and Hillary Clinton seems more and more riddled with corruption amid the leaks on the Democratic National Convention. Both candidates have record-high unfavorability ratings.

Look into third party candidates and don’t let people tell you your vote is “wasted.” A wasted vote is one that doesn’t reflect your values. It may be an uphill battle for a third party to win the election, but you are also sending a message that if the major parties want your vote, they are going to need to do better. Don’t settle for “good enough.”

I’ve been very impressed in the way Gary Johnson and Bill Weld are running the libertarian campaign. They have kept things positive and refreshingly honest. They stand for the fiscal conservatism that the GOP seems to have lost, and stand for true individual liberty. I have very few bad things to say about them. That’s saying a lot, given the current state of affairs.

Recent polls have pegged Johnson as high as 13 percent. If major polls trend up to 15 percent, he gets to take part in the general debates with Trump and Clinton.

I encourage you to research Gary Johnson. Like him on facebook. Talk to your friends and family. Don’t settle for less than we deserve this election cycle.

Kevin Coenen,

Appleton