OK, it can only get better...

A female ex-CEO, a Black neurosurgeon, a Baptist preacher--all the Republican field for President needs is a butcher, a baker and a candlestick maker. A few more Senators and Governors and Donald Trump will make this the most interesting field ever for the nomination.

How boring the Democrats seem by comparison: a former first-Lady/Senator/Secretary of State and Bernie Sanders.

Truth be known (and why not?) Bernie Sanders is the first candidate for the Presidential nomination in my life-time that I actually agree with almost completely. I am a socialist (as is Bernie and a good number of people in Vermont). Last year our income was the largest it's ever been. Between my (God love the Church Pension Fund) pension, Bern and my Social Security and my part time job, we had an income of well over $100,000. (Both my children make much, much more than that--as it should be in the old days.) And Bern and I paid NO TAXES because of the IRS rules about ordained clergy and housing allowances and such things.

I would gladly pay 33% of my income in taxes if health care and higher education were free and every family in the country was guaranteed an income of $45,000 a year.

That makes me a socialist. And proud to be one.

If Bernie had a snowball's chance in hell of being the Democratic candidate, I'd gladly give that 33% I'll never pay in taxes to his campaign. But he doesn't have even an ice-cube's chance in hell of winning.

And I am (in spite of what people might tell you about me) ultimately a Pragmatist.

So, when the smoke clears I'll support Hillary, or whoever (beyond all reason) defeats her in the primaries for President.

I am a socialist by ideology. Practically and pragmatically, I am a Democrat.

The Democrats don't, by any stretch of the imagination, come down where I am politically and socially. But they actually have a change to win, so I'm with them as my best bad bet.

Why shouldn't someone like Bernie run for President? His ideas are closer to mine than any candidate I've ever know.

Why not?

Well, unfortunately, we all know. Given how much people hate Obamacare, the best thing the haters can say about it is this: "at least it's not socialized medicine."

Too bad, I say.

But it's not going to change in my lifetime.

That makes me a yellow-dog Democrat (a Democrat who would vote for a yellow dog even if Mother Teresa was the Republican candidate.)

Alas.

And so be it.