And proof of that, Art, is the money and volunteers that the Republican machine is pouring into the effort to get Nader on the ballot. In Michigan most of the signatures by huge proportions were Republicans.

Oh .... and your comment about the effect of such protest votes is spot on. That is what I have been trying to tell this ivory tower lunatic. She doesn't have to see the faces or feel the desperation as the safety net is dismantled. I remember being young and idealistic. Then a war, 3 kids, and union organizing hit me and knocked some real world experience into me. It is about leadership. And one should be careful where they lead folks. That is what Nader, in his megalomania, can't see. But hell, it isn't him that won't have health insurance. It's not him trying to raise kids as a single parent on $9.00 an hour. It's not him making the choice between food and prescriptions to stay alive.

And you are dead on about the unity piece. When I started working for Democratic causes, we understood that we were a party of disparate interests. The only way to be successful was to create coalitions. Otherwise the monied interests would eat us alive. But we allowed one segment of the party to get so strong that we lost that ability. We fell into the old purity of thought trap ...... again. Next thing you know, the people that determine elections, Mr. and Mrs. Middle America, felt that they couldn't relate to us anymore. And we end up with Ronald Raygun, Bush Sr., and Bush Jr.

Is Kerry perfect? Nope. Do I have some problems with him? Yep. Can we work with him? Yep. Will he be more responsive to the people? Yep. Does he feel like he knows what God needs done? Nope.

Good enough for me.

Mick