The experience question is worth considering--but, in my historical opinion, experience rarely turns an election. No one voted for Bill Clinton over George HW Bush because of experience, or Kennedy over Nixon, or Bush over Gore b/c of experience.

If Obama is not ready now--I am not sure hanging around in the Senate for another eight years actually helps him much (or God forbid--the VP).

• 48 weeks ago

Great point, Evrviglnt. Nobody does oppo-research like Team Clinton.

• 53 weeks ago

Thanks, Aaron. Bill has a pattern of working hard, getting over confident, misunderstanding what makes him successful, stepping on himself, facing a fall, and then using his prodigious talents to right the ship of Clinton. I think he is wildly ignorant, most of the time, of what works for him and what doesn't. More than anything else (and this is only half tongue-in-cheek), he thinks of himself as Elvis.

Having said all that, the Demo base loves Bill--and that is a huge plus for Hill.

• 53 weeks ago

Evrviglnt: Great post. You identify the problems of public education, and you correctly assert that they pose a lethal threat to American culture.

However, I cannot support vouchers. As someone who has opted out of public education for my two sons, I am not willing to risk government involvement in the last refuge of traditional American learning. My fear is that once the government starts moving toward private education, there will be strings, regulations, mandates, and, finally, a complete corruption of the incredibly healthy system of parent-controlled schools. I am unwilling to take that chance.

• 54 weeks ago

Chris: It is a good point and a good suggestion. I think a locally based system of ID is more workable. The problem is getting the cooperation of 50 states in re high standards. Of course, that is not an insurmountable challenge. States working together makes more sense philosophically. But, bottom line, a standardized, nation-wide system (albeit locally controlled) helps us on a number of fronts.

Back to voting: it is not unreasonable to make voters prove they are who they say they are, as long as there is a reasonable and accessible system to obtain ID.

• 54 weeks ago