Third party
Michael Cummins — After reading your article in the July 28 Isthmus (“I Survived RNC 2016 — But Will My Party?”), I believe you should start a third party to give the unhappy people of both parties (there must be a lot) someone to vote for. The “independent party” or “third party” with Bernie Sanders as candidate for president.
Gordon Schultz, Albany (via mail)
Water truths
While a northside pool may indeed be a worthy goal (“In too deep? 8/11/16), our lakes deserve to be more accurately portrayed. Mendota is as clean as it’s been in years. For Paddle and Portage, both lakes were refreshingly algae-free.
Joe Lusson (via Isthmus.com)
Not an accident
I am writing in response to “Catalyst for Change” (8/11/16). I applaud the women in this article for doing something positive for a community in need, but I question why we as a society are not doing more to prevent this from happening in the first place. I understand that people make mistakes, and young women do get pregnant. However, when it happens two, three, four or more times, it is no longer an accident, it is a choice, and it is the children (and the taxpayers) that suffer. No child deserves to grow up being raised in a car, with four other siblings, with a 24-year-old single mother. And we wonder why we have an achievement gap in our schools! If we really want to help young women live better lives, we should be giving them free and easy access to long-acting birth control, empowering them to stay in school so they can get decent, well-paying jobs, and encouraging them to postpone starting a family until they can give their children a stable and healthy upbringing that every kid deserves.
Amber Steele (via email)
Dem future
The Democratic party in Wisconsin, sadly, is not particularly progressive (“Holding out hope” 8/11/16). Bernie Sanders showed how to win big and run on a very progressive campaign platform: increase social security (big in Wisconsin); help families with tuition problems; raise the minimum wage. These are all economic issues and they sell well in Wisconsin. But look at Feingold, who still doesn’t get it; and with him, most of the moribund Democratic Party. Wisconsin really needs a third progressive party. A real progressive has to step up and run for governor. I see that, not the State senate, as the beginning.
FFlambeau (via Isthmus.com)
Correction
Last week’s story on Wilco indicated that Wilco’s upcoming Schmilco is a vinyl-only release; it will also soon be available in digital formats and on CD.
