Selecting the Presidential Candidates

Two articles on the Op-Ed Page (April 10) offer great food for thought. The country seems to be awash in political holy warriors who predict doleful results unless their “wise” counsel is followed.

Take Bruce Babbitt and Charles Krauthammer--both predict the demise of the Democratic Party unless it follows the paths of their diametrically opposed views.

Babbitt wants the Democratic ship to sink rather than give up any views of Jackson--visionary or muddled. As he says-- follow them, win or lose. Another crusade for the “soul” of the party.

Krauthammer, on the other hand, thinks that the Democratic Party should be a second Republican Party with everything in place, except the name.

Enough of these “ideological” political differences. Why should the Democratic Party try to merge with the Republican Party--or drown in saintly purity?

What about the Democratic Party being the party of the middle, where most Americans want to be. They neither want to see hunger and sleeping on the streets, nor an unfeeling and deceitful government.

The “centrist” Democratic Party should level the playing field to the advantage of most Americans by changing from military mania to jobs in peace and growth. By rebuilding our cities and roads. By working to eliminate institutionalized poverty in our slums. By extending a Marshall-type plan to Central and South America so those countries can again become good markets for our products, and in return they can again export products--not their people.

Such a pragmatic, non-ideological Democratic Party can win by rejecting the advice of both Babbitt and Krauthammer.

JOSEPH SIMON

Malibu