I am registered Republican but consider myself an independent. I dutifully listened to both conventions. I listened to the pundits pontificate about Palin and all the petty nuances of speech and spectacle. Three trends worried me: blaming the press, personal attacks on the voters and claims of divine inspiration.

I expect politicians to lie, to distort their records and to spin data to try to frame and issue their way. It is the job of a free press to fact find and to reveal the truth, or expose the deceptions (like Sarah Palin's lie about “taking a bold stand against the ‘bridge to nowhere,'” when in fact, she campaigned for it until it was obvious to all that it was a boondoggle). In my opinion a lie of omission is still a lie. The party that complains the most about the press has the most to hide.

I expect politicians to attack the positions of their opponents, as both parties did. What I heard the second week is something I have heard throughout the list eight years - attacks on the character of the voter. Like Dick Cheney questioning the patriotism of anyone that disagreed with his policy. Mrs. Palin called the supporters of Obama “angry liberals” and used other derogative terms. There is no need for personal attacks. Every citizen has the right to their opinion without the fear of ridicule.

Third, is to claim ‘God is on my side,' that my opinion is a ‘moral imperative' and the other is ‘evil.' Two good and intelligent people, armed with the same facts, can arrive at different positions on an issue. The real art and substance of politics is the ability to listen, to compromise and incorporate new ideas to form better solutions. By casting opinions as ‘moral imperatives' it creates absolutes which cannot be compromised. Bush and Rumsfeld routinely made such statements and failing to seek out and incorporate other opinions, pursued disastrous policies. The greatest tool for democracy is an open and honest discussion of opinions based on truth. This can only take place in an environment where facts are verified and opinion holders are respected. The American people deserve nothing less.

Gary G. Herrmann

Lyons