DEAR ABBY: It is common knowledge that your readers are the most intelligent, well-informed people in the country. They are probably more informed than some of the people we have sent to Washington, D.C.
That is the reason for this letter, Abby. I am asking you to urge your readers to vote in today's election. I am not asking you to endorse any candidate -- that wouldn't be fair to his or her opponent, or to you.
I am just asking you to remind people to get off their collective rear ends, go to the polling station, do their civic duty and VOTE.
I personally don't care who a person votes for, as long as the turnout is greater this year than in 1998, when less than 40 percent of eligible Americans exercised their constitutional right. I would rather see "my candidate" lose by a whopping majority and have a record-high turnout, than win with another record-low voter turnout.
I'm fairly certain that the candidates who are running for office this year would agree with me on that point, even if they can agree on nothing else. -- A PROUD AMERICAN VOTER, BLOOMFIELD, N.J.
DEAR PROUD AMERICAN: You asked for it -- you've got it! Readers, a person who has the right to vote and doesn't do it is no better off than a person who doesn't have that privilege. This is not the time for any American citizen to say, "Let someone else do it." The direction our country takes -- domestically and internationally -- is to a great extent determined by the people who exercise their right to vote.
So cast your vote -- today's the day!