Here’s the link to my latest letter to the editor of the News & Record. I had a wonderful conversation with Becky Layton in the editorial department a few days ago when she called to verify that I wrote this (standard procedure for letters to be published) and I said then that I’m very serious about this suggestion. The News & Record staff had a great idea when they started encouraging blogging and commenting on op-ed pieces. Now here’s a chance to take it way on past the next level: ban all political labels, like “Democrat” and “Republican”, “conservative” and “liberal”, “right wing/left wing” etc.

Some will say that this will drastically limit the amount of material for the op-ed pages. No doubt that’s true. But it will encourage serious, engaging and even polite debate about real ideas, instead of the partisan bickering that has become so anemic. And there ...