...a contagious disease.

It's a basic problem with America. Many of our politicians can't be civil with each other. We have Republicans calling Democrats un-American. And naive. And terrorist-sympathizers. And then Democrats return the favor. They hurl insults back at the Republicans. It's an unholy war, of sorts. So, if we Americans can't get along with each other, how are we going to make peace with the rest of the world? Look at the presidential election campaign. In many respects, it's a national disgrace. Because of the lack of respect for each other. We have a proliferating number of attack ads. All over the place. By Republicans. By Democrats. Maybe two-thirds by Republicans. But that doesn't exonerate the Democrats. As a liberal partisan, I have done my share of castigating Republicans. Because in my subjective opinion, they deserve it. I think the eight years of the George Bush administration has been a disaster. And I'm afraid that if John McCain wins, we'll get more of the same. And I think his choice of Sarah Palin as his running mate -- well, that's about as bad a pick as he could have made. Maybe I'd go easier on McCain-Palin if they had conducted a respectful campaign. But they haven't come close. So here we are, lambasting each other. Playing dirty pool. Hateful stuff. I'm convinced that Barack Obama has been relatively polite, at least in comparison to McCain and Palin. He keeps linking McCain to Bush. Indeed, that can be taken as an insult. But there is a link. McCain might as well call himself McBush. Yes, I'm playing politics. I'm caught up in the conflagration. I'm just as bad as many of the politicians. But I know it. And I admit it. I don't like this side of me. But I can't help myself. American politics is a contagious disease. --Jim Broede