I am an independent voter because I see the reasoning of both the Democratic and Republican parties, as well as the Libertarians and the Greens. I look at all sides of an issue and try to make a well-informed decision.

Republicans don’t want to raise taxes; Democrats don’t want to cut welfare programs. The Libertarians usually lean toward Republicans; the Greens, toward the Democrats. I lean toward getting things done.

Here is how I feel things should be done.

Taxes should be raised on the rich while cutting corporate welfare programs. Raise the retirement age to 70 (the majority of people won’t retire until then, anyway), and cut benefits to drug users and people who have never paid into the system. Reduce military spending by staying out of the rest of the world’s business and use the savings to increase spending on education programs that actually produce results.

The borders should be secured to keep illegal immigrants out, and offer education assistance to immigrants who enter the country legally (so they can add diversity to the intellectual pool).

I want a government that actually works for the people as it is supposed to. The current one doesn’t.

There are a lot of independent voters, enough to change an entire election. I would think the mainstream politicians had better start looking past the trees and see the forest that is growing up behind them.

Edward McCaffrey, Rumford