A fter watching the presidential debate Tuesday night, I am troubled by an oversight in the discussion regarding the economic crisis. Neither candidate has addressed issues that affect the most vulnerable populations in America: the poor, the homeless and the mentally ill.

Each candidate argued why his economic plan is better suited to address the needs of the middle class. Each candidate tried to offer some solace to middle-income families in America, saying that his plan was superior because it provided the most financial relief to the middle class.

While middle-income families unequivocally deserve to have their needs addressed in this discussion, there exists a portion of the population that suffers a dearth of representation and needs an advocate in Washington. With all this attention on the middle class, who will advocate for lower-income families who are also struggling to pay for basic necessities and having to choose between putting food on the table and heating their homes this winter?

I hear a lot of rhetoric about going "line by line" to remove programs from the federal budget to reduce spending. My concern is that some of these programs will be those that help families living in poverty, the homeless, the mentally ill - those without the power to advocate for themselves in Washington. Who will oversee this process to ensure that the most vulnerable will be protected?

JENNIFER ALFORD-TEASTER

Concord