I suggest that Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton stop attacking each other and take turns.  Say Obama is the Presidential nominee for this term and Hillary, Vice President, and then they switch again. After four years, Obama agrees not to run for another term, , and supports Hillary Clinton for President, with himself as Vice President.  This could result in 16 years of Democratic Presidents, save a whole lot of money in the primary battles, (which could be spent on building a real Democratic Party with real grass roots membes, precinct by precinct) unite a lot of the electorate and show that the nominees care more about what most Americans need rather than what they want.

In one debate, when Hillary Clinton, said something like “no matter what happens, we will be OK” We have strong families...”  I thought, “They should care if most Americans, (who are not millionaires) will be “OK.”    Why can’t politicians “check their egos at the door?” --as Doonesbury once suggested.  This election should be about us, average Americans like me, not about them.

I will never forget the first time I ran for public office (a very minor office, Assistant Judge in Rutland County, Vermont in 1975).  I won.  I was feeling pretty good until the next day when I called many voters, making believe I was taking a survey.  Many of these people had probably voted for me, but had no recollection.  Some could not even remember who they voted for US Senator, and other high profile offices!

I was taken down, many notches.  The peoples’ choice?  Hardly.

Recently, a potential candidate came to me to ask for my support before he announced his candidacy.  Another progressive candidate was planning on running, and I suggested that she and he get together so as not to split the progressive vote.  He declined the invitation. 

This reminds me how little influence our political parties have.  They can not influence individuals who want to run in the primary.  It’s each man or woman on his own.  There is little organizational force to develop candidates who might have a good chance of winning.  In this case, this candidate narrowly lost the primary, mostly, I think, because of the negative feelings many voters had about his “leaking” some emails about a principal and a teacher who were having an affair.  If the party had been stronger, they might have discouraged him from running.  But all one needs now, is 150 valid signatures ...   more »