Actually, independent voters care a lot

by Donna Lee Richards, Nashua
For the Concord Monitor
December 28. 2007

Dear President Clinton:

Your comment in the Concord Monitor regarding your perception of independent voters was distressing to me and my fellow independents in New Hampshire ("Bill Clinton: Hillary has resilience," Monitor front page, Dec. 21)

Independents make up 44 percent of the voting population in New Hampshire and represent the largest segment of voters in the country. Independents do not label themselves as belonging to a political party. This does not mean that they are not interested, informed or involved in politics and government. This simply means that they do not limit their views, issues or votes to those favored by one political party.

Much attention has been focused on independent voters in New Hampshire, but there seems to be a fundamental confusion as to who these independents are and what our votes represent. We are not snoozing between presidential elections only to be woken and wooed by candidates, returning to our slumber in between because we "don't like politics."

To deny that a majority of voters "cares" is, with all due respect, a rather arrogant partisan view which does a disservice to this majority of voters and to the public servants who represent us and could benefit from knowledge of our views. Knowing and caring what is important to independents should be of vital importance to candidates, elected officials and public servants at every level.

I invite you to help us lead the charge to a better understanding of independent voters in America. We are not just voters in the primaries - we are citizens of this great country.

DONNA LEE RICHARDS
Nashua
(The writer is a member of the New Hampshire Committee for an Independent Voice.)