Take it to heart. Your Voice U.S. political system needs reform Last Sunday was election day in Germany. Most news organizations covering the event focused on the fact that, after 16 years in power, the Christian Democratic Party's Helmut Kohl was turned out as chancellor, soon to be replaced by Social Democrat Gerhard Schroeder. To put that into perspective, imagine Ed Garvey beating Tommy Thompson. Unlike us, the Germans still consider Sunday a national day of rest.
Stores are closed and the pace of life slows down.
There are many fewer distractions for German voters, and fewer excuses not to vote. A more important factor has to do with Germany's parliamentary system, in which so-called minor political parties are capable of exercising considerable influence. Changing election day to a Sunday might help, but without meaningful choices in the voting booth, the majority of voters will still find better things to do. Jeff Peterson Luck Hwy. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation stated on the front page of the August 18 issue of the Wisconsin State Journal that a 50 percent increase in injury accidents from 1996 to 1997 shows the need to expand Highway 12 in Dane County to four lanes.