Jaithirth Rao of the Indian Express has an excellent column today, discussing his experiences in New York, on his current trip to the UInited States. He finds himself disconcerted at the unwillingness of the social liberals he meets to seriously discuss political issues, engaging in consideration of their own versus those of conservatives.

He promises that he will next visit Texas, and fears that conservatives there will similarly be unwilling to discuss issues on their merits, but merely dismiss their opponents as stupid or evil, as apparently the New York liberals he is meeting do.

I certainly hope that Texans prove as much more enhlightened as I expect them to be. I will be awaiting Mr. Rao's next column.

Thomas Lifson   11 25 04