Have you been reading about the bipartisan group of former politicians who will meet at the University of Oklahoma Jan 7?  They hope to create a reasonable platform of campaign issues and convince one or more presidential candidates to adopt it in place of the divisive silliness (immigration, gay marriage, support our troops) that defines the major campaigns to date.

"The important goal that all of us share," said former Maine Senator and defense secretary William Cohen, "is to get government back to the center."

Other participants will include Chuck Hagel, Bill Brock, John Danforth, Christine Todd Whitman, Sam Nunn, Alan Dixon, Bob Graham...

It's impossible to look at the presidential campaign front runners and not feel a tad queasy.  A quote I like from rural Georgia resident Kim Stokes: "The candidates I have seen so far, Republican and Democrat, are going to make President Bush look like a genius."

Let's hope something changes... and quickly.