Open Forum

To find out where each 8th District candidate for U.S. Congress stands on key issues, go to the World Wide Web. If you don't have access to the Internet, you can use a computer at your public library. They will help you access the Internet.

There are Web sites on the Internet that provide much information on each candidate running for public office. For incumbents running for reelection, Web sites like Project Vote Smart provides complete information on the candidates' voting record. Previously, many voters only knew the candidates' positions on issues based on what they said on the campaign trail. Now, voters can quickly verify if what the candidate said agrees with his voting record. Thanks to the information highway!

Also each 8th District candidate for Congress has a Web site that contains additional information. These Web sites should be viewed before voting on Nov. 7.

Here is a list of Web sites on the Internet that can help you select the candidate that will be best for you, your family, and your community:

Michael Darling: www.darling4congress.com

Bob Lemen: www.lemen2000.org

James Oberstar: www.oberstar.org

Project Vote Smart: www.vote-smart.org

Wilbur Fast

Ranier

Oil Reserve

President Clinton's release of 30,000,000 barrels of crude oil is nothing more than a political sham to make candidate Al Gore look good.

The 30,000,000 gallons works out to 4.7 gallons per person in the United States. (Based on an estimated total of 270,000,000 Americans). For a family of four in Brainerd that works out to a total of 18.8 gallons. Each family obviously would not "receive" that oil, but receive the benefits of releasing that oil.

If releasing that oil results in a 5 percent reduction in prices "at the pump" our Brainerd family of four will enjoy a whopping annual savings of $1.51.

Americans currently consume 19,000,000 barrels of oil daily. The release of 30,000,000 barrels equates to 1.6 days of supply or four-tenths of 1 percent of our annual usage.

This release is nothing more than cheap political rhetoric. It sounds good on television, and looks good in the paper, but there is no substantial benefit to us taxpayers.

Art Becker

Pillager