POLITICS AND NATURE

There are a lot of pundits and pollsters telling us all how to think, what to think, and who we are going to vote for. People are tiring of the Democratic primary, we are told. This is bad for the Democrats, good for John McCain, and, by inference, it is bad for democracy and the republic itself is in trouble.

I think it is strange, this thinking. We are told not to think about things too much or for too long. It will tear apart the party and strengthen Republican resolve. And if it continues, according to this theory, the Democratic Party will be rent asunder and left for dead.

I disagree. Which is no real surprise. I think it is good for democracy to talk about issues. I think it is good to bring the people of Pennsylvania, Indiana, North Carolina, and Oregon into our national debates before it becomes an all out war of aggression between two overbearing, paternalistic party structures.

I see it as strengthening our republic. I trust all three of the remaining major candidates. I think we have the best choice in the Democratic Party since Bill Clinton and I think John McCain is honorable and courageous. Let's let people vote. Let the process work. People in Indiana have to be happy that their vote matters.

It is good for America. It is positive to have long elections. Unfortunately, our attention span is small and we are so used to having two major candidates beat on each other to see who can motivate enough people to live by a small rule. We need to talk about these things to find who we want to lead the nation. And, if he or she fails, we can get rid of them in four years.

There is nothing wrong with democracy.