Illinois Green Party deserves a closer look

Anyone who is not a die-hard Republican or Democrat would probably agree that we need a real change in government. Not just a change in the party in power and not just a change in the candidates the parties have to offer, but a real change.

We need someone whose loyalties aren't to their respective political parties and their large contributors. We need and deserve someone who will put citizens first.

This is especially true in the race for governor of Illinois. If you rely on the news media for information, there are only two candidates for governor - one Democratic incumbent and one Republican who is a state lawmaker. There is a third candidate that you don't hear about. He is Rich Whitney.

I don't know a lot about him. One reason I don't is that his campaign fund is chump change compared with the coffers of the major party candidates. The most important reason, though, is because the media doesn't tell us about him. No matter what the major party candidates say or do, it's news. It doesn't matter how unimportant it is - you will hear it until you're sick of it.

Informing voters doesn't seem to be much of a priority of the news media. If it were we would hear the good and bad and the in-between about all candidates, not just the offerings of the two major parties. There may be others running, I don't know. I do know I won't find out by reading the newspapers or watching TV, and that's a shame.

While his chances are slim, I will vote for Rich Whitney. We desperately need a change in Springfield. The Republicans gave us Ryan, the Democrats gave us Blagojevich. Let's give the Green Party a chance.

Ron Flowers

Elk Grove Village