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This election result had less to do with who was the better campaigner and more to do with an American electorate that has had enough of the game for now. For many years, the American electorate has asked the Federal Government to "get out of our way, please." And since the government didn't listen, we took matters into our own hands. Although the turnout was light, the politicians can read between the lines. You see, we've hired a lame-duck President and a Republican Congress, each of which is unwilling and unable to work with the other. The bottom line is a government that we "put out of the way, thank you!" At last we can expect what we want from the Federal Government: nothing! Well done, folks! I guess if we want something done right, we have to do it ourselves. TONY COST Elko, Nevada
You failed to highlight in your article on the '96 presidential election and accompanying statistics one important comparison and disturbing outcome. While you presented the popular vote as a percentage of the total, you did not do the same for the Electoral College. President Clinton captured 50% of the popular vote but a distorting 70% of the Electoral College vote. Each single popular vote Clinton received was worth 40% more in the Electoral College vote than those of his opponents. His victory was not an overwhelming mandate; almost half the voters did not support his re-election.
It is time to reassess the process by which America votes for its leader. The current system distorts our candidates' priorities, objectives and motives and the narrow political, geographic and economic issues they tackle. We cannot ask ourselves why voter turnout is so low if we do not have a system in which each and every vote truly is equal. BENNETT SHULDMAN Moscow
At this point I don't care who won the elections. I am glad that I don't have to listen to all the commercials on the radio and television anymore. Now if the people who put up all the campaign signs in front of their houses and along the roadway would take them down, the nation would be prettier. If the candidates put all the money spent on the campaign toward the national debt, the nation would be well on its way to being debt free. JOANNA REAGAN Pepperell, Massachusetts
How can we maintain and promote democracy in the face of diminishing voter participation? An obvious step is to simplify the mechanics of voting. It has become too complicated and time consuming, both in understanding the issues beforehand and in casting a vote. Being locked into a certain place to vote or the complications of absentee balloting are still obstacles. For the 57 years we have been married, my wife and I have exercised our voting privileges, rain or shine, but we were sorely tempted this election to forgo that right. The numerous propositions and initiatives, the widely differing backgrounds and experience of the candidates and their claims and counterclaims were intimidating. If we don't increase voter participation, we are heading down the path to autocracy! WILLIAM A. DIXON San Jose, California
Let's be honest. twenty-four percent of eligible voters actually pulled the lever in favor of Bill Clinton. America hasn't seen such limp support since Madonna's Wonderbra was stolen. PAT HESTER Olathe, Kansas Via E-mail
GOING BY THE NUMBERS