Molly Ivins is one columnist that everyone can read, imo, even those who don't agree with her conclusions. In fact, I think the conservatives should feel a greater need to read her than should those of a more liberal persuasion, simply because if she wrote it, you had better know what she is saying.

Here is a link to a column of hers that is somewhat different. Without selling out in any sense, she is trying to find ways that we can all support- liberals and consrvatives alike - to fix the mess that we find ourselves in.

She starts out by saying:

"AUSTIN - Leap I lightly, with the grace of a gazelle, over such mundane news items as indictments at the White House and Supreme Court nominations. All the better to continue my crusade to focus attention not on what's wrong but on how to fix it.

"Here's a starter: I would like America to be a country where we spend more money on educating people than we do on the military.

"On a panel in New Haven, Conn., the other night, Ray Suarez of PBS answered the "How do we fix it?" question with the proposal that we make K-12 our top priority. He suggests that this would have so many unexpected side effects -- ranging from science to race relations -- that it would effectively be a revolution."

She ends with this:

"Nothing simple about this effort -- anyone who thinks international relations and diplomacy are simple, straightforward subjects has not been paying attention. This how-do-we-fix-it series is a conversation, not a lecture, and all suggestions are welcome. You can send suggestions to me at ideasformolly@creators.com."

The whole column is well worth reading, and just maybe it will bear fruit.

Can We Talk?