Ranked Choice Voting, a better way

To the Editor:

Are you concerned about all the anger that is part of politics in the US today? Feel like your concerns aren’t being heard by politicians?

The problem with the current election system is a candidate only needs to get the MOST votes to win. Our system allows candidates to win with less than half of the votes. If there are more than two candidates, someone could win with only 35% of the total votes, which leaves 65% of the voters unhappy. The more candidates there are, the percentage of votes needed to win becomes smaller and smaller. Because of this flawed “most” votes system, we are limited to only two viable choices for the most important people in our government. Even worse, there is no incentive for elected candidates to work together after taking office.

Recently, I discovered Ranked Choice Voting, which is used in Maine, Alaska and about 76 cities in the US. It’s a simple, fair and non-partisan reform that gives voters more power and choices during elections. Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference, and a candidate needs to be liked by over 50% of the voters to win. (For more details, search youtube for “Fairvote What is Ranked Choice Voting”.)

There are many benefits of Ranked Choice Voting. Candidates have to campaign on issues important to the MAJORITY of voters, rather than blaming the opposing party, or focusing on a divisive wedge issue or what a superPAC wants. Voters can vote for the candidates they truly like. No more fear of splitting the vote, or choosing “the lesser of two evils”. More people choose to run for office, as the number of candidates doesn’t change the winning requirement of being liked by a majority of voters.

Negative campaigning decreases because candidates must find ways to appeal to most voters. After a Ranked Choice Vote election, surveys show there is higher voter satisfaction and greater voter turnout, which is always a win for democracy. You can find the data yourself on the Fair Vote website.

Some claim Ranked Choice Voting favors liberals. It does not. It changes the rules for everyone, just like adding the three point shot in basketball decades ago. The game changed, but after coaches and players adapted, the playing field was level. In fact, party candidates nominated with majority support do better in general elections. Others claim it’s too complicated, but we’ve all been ranking our preferences for years. (What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? What’s your second choice?) And you can choose to vote for just one candidate.

There is a grass roots organization called Rank Mi Vote that is hoping to bring Ranked Choice Voting to Michiganders. The first step is to sign the Rank Mi Vote petition. If you aren’t happy with politics in Michigan and our nation, check out Ranked Choice Voting and Rank Mi Vote.

Lisa Nelson

Houghton

Fake news or God’s truth

Editor:

These days we’re at a crossroad. Currently fake news is a relevant cultural term. Even artificial intelligence (AI) finds fake news versus truth practically indiscernible. However, Christians know this dates all the way back to the Garden of Eden. Bible readers will recount when the serpent suddenly appeared and asked Eve if God had said she was not to eat from the tree in the Garden (Genesis 3:1). Remember that Satan was a liar then and still spreads fake news today. The devil is in the business of spreading fake news to deceive us all. The Christian’s part is to recognize the deception and combat it with God’s Word. The Enemy’s strategy hasn’t changed. Satan’s objective is to separate mankind from God and ultimately lead humans straight to Hell’s gate.

Make no mistake, God wants to save. Ezekiel 18:32 clearly says, “For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.” Refusing to obey, the Lord will give us over to a reprobate mind, i.e., perverting truth and acting out immorally.

1 John 1:7 admonishes us “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” Fake news might dim that light, but lies can never extinguish it. Nothing we do can make God love us more or less. He just plain loves us.

Think of the Prodigal Son who dishonored his father by demanding his inheritance. However, he wasted his entire birthright on wine, women and song. When famine came, the only job available to the son was working for a local pig farmer. When reality set in, the son came to his senses and returned home. Arriving home he told his father that he had sinned against him and was no longer worthy to be called his son (Luke 15:21). However, his loving father was so glad to see him that he prepared a celebration to honor his return. God’s heart is like that who seeks to save His beloved sons and daughters.

The crossroad is still there. We must make a choice to either accept Satan’s lies or follow God’s way of truth. It’s never too late to come to Jesus, receive forgiveness, and know that your eternity is secure.

Marilyn Sager

Houghton

Demonstrators love our country

To the editor,

The Republican politicians in Washington were panicking. They were worried and making hysterical attacks upon the No Kings Rally, name-calling it as a “I hate America rally,” and said it was controlled by Hamas, Marxists, far-left organizations, criminals, and Antifa people. Really? Tell that to the mothers, fathers, grandparents, youths, and working people carrying placards while marching in the peaceful rally.

Typical of fascists they must lie repeatedly until the people believe. These Un-American Republican politicians have sold their soul and genuflect to a somewhat unprincipled autocrat lest they experience his wrath.

And what did this autocrat do on the day of the rally? He posted an AI-generated video to Truth Social depicting himself in a fighter jet labeled “King Trump” and dropping brown liquid, widely interpreted as feces, on “No Kings” protesters. This despicable, embarrassing, and juvenile behavior is unbecoming of a President of the United States. We deserve better, and the rest of the world is watching.

The demonstrators in the No Kings Rally love our country and that is why they are trying to keep our country from the continuing descent into a fascist oligarchy headed by a dictator. If you control Congress, the Courts, the Armed Services, Governorships, other public offices, and the media, then the coup is complete.

As American abolitionist Wendell Phillips said during a speech in 1852, “The price of liberty is eternal vigilance.”

David M. Keranen,

Bakersfield, CA