This election ignores poverty

As a member of the povertyfighting movement called ONE, I'm a voter who cares about the battle against extreme poverty and global disease. It's a fight that involves both the emergency raging now in the poorest parts of the world and the tremendous opportunity America has to beat it back, secure a more stable world and set a shining example of America's purpose and principles.

In this presidential election, which is ramping up with the usual charged rhetoric and coverage of polls and political strategies, ONE members across America including myself have been working to secure concrete commitments from the candidates on the issues surrounding extreme poverty.

Today, in the most vulnerable corners of the world, a child dies every three seconds because they don't have enough food, they can't get to clean water or they have been stricken with an entirely preventable and treatable disease like diarrhea or malaria. In these same corners of the world, millions of children never attend school because they don't have enough money. Instead of an education, they are left to fend for themselves against teachings of hate and extremism.

I know every candidate will say they want to change these conditions. Our organization has challenged the candidates to go on record and describe in detail their commitments on such issues as erasing malaria, increasing access to clean water and getting AIDS drugs to those who need them.

There is much from the presidential candidates this election, but some things are too important to be drowned out. Edward Garnett Westlake Village