1) It would be so much better if we got OUR government out of the political party business entirely. Let the Progressive, Republican, Democratic and whoever else parties run their own primaries/caucuses at their own expense. Get a legal name to the SoC for the general ballot in a prescribed time frame and be done with.

2) We are setting our whole social system up to accommodate never ending wars. It’s not only the changes in voting required to meet the needs of overseas military personnel, but it’s also the government and volunteer social programs that are becoming cemented into our culture and governance. A much more productive path would be to reduce our war making desire and capacity.

3) Politics is that nebulous region in society where we gather together to make joint decisions. Politics is discussing the local school budget with a neighbor, it’s calling one’s state representative about a problem or issue, and yes it’s also elected people making the decisions they’ve been granted authority to make. Politics is not a bad word … it’s a hopeful word that tells all of us we can be part of it all.