Letters: Explaining election day

Re “Obama’s victory demonstrates fundamental shift in electorate,” Nov. 8

I can’t stop smiling about this election.

Democracy defeated those who thought they could buy this election.

But consider what the money spent could have done in terms of rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure, providing healthcare for all Americans or paying down the debt that Republicans complain so much about.

Instead, it was wasted on deliberate misinformation in thousands of dismissible campaign ads that didn’t persuade voters anyway.

Are we finally persuaded to publicly fund future campaigns and shorten their duration to a few months instead of years?

Geri Mellgren-Kerwin

Burbank

I am an immigrant. I went to law school here and have been an attorney for over 20 years. I am a U.S. citizen.

This is the fourth time I have voted in a presidential election , and I am appalled, disgusted and embarrassed as an American for how we conduct our elections.

We have done this for more than 200 years and still cannot get it even halfway right. Hourlong lines, intentional or unintentional voter suppression because some state officials either want to disenfranchise people (mostly minorities, of course) or because they are just totally inept.

Shame on them. In private industry, they would be fired on the spot.

Mathew Kundinger
Long Beach

There are many theories about why President Obama won and the Republicans lost.

I think it’s pretty simple. Obama was the better candidate and had much better ideas and plans for this country.

Romney and the Republicans had old, worn ideas that hadn’t worked in the past and clearly wouldn’t work in the future. I think they felt that didn’t matter because if enough people hated Obama, they’d win.

Thank goodness their strategy failed.

Susan Jacobs
Studio City

While watching election-night news coverage, I was completely bewildered at the 60 million votes cast for Obama.

I asked myself what happened to those people over the course of this four-year presidency that would inspire them to throw their support behind this president.

Did these millions of citizens see an increase in the value of their homes, or rent reductions?

Did their student loan debts disappear? Did the cost of college go down?

Did the values of their pensions and/or 401(k)s increase?

Did the price of food, gasoline and electricity fall?

Did roads and bridges improve?

Did they find more fulfilling and better-paying jobs?

Is there now peace in the Middle East? Or less government intrusion into private lives?

Do they feel safer from terrorists?

What happened? What did I miss?

Robert A. Lebo
Valencia

I’m hoping for the day when politicians stop trying to make one another look bad and start trying to make our state and our country look good.

Come to think of it, that goes for the rest of us too.

Phil Beauchamp
Chino Hills

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