There's no excuse for this. People have really gone beyond all moral sense.

He was using the cow dung as fuel to bake bread -- a common thing in some lands even today. Please put things into context before displaying your ignorance.

Mr. Hanson, I'm not as optimistic. From the leftist point of view, things fail because govt ain't big enough and don't spend enough. It's really up to voters to get some common sense. In any case, even if we get a Republican or Libertarian, the imperialistic precedent has been set by this President. I expect a more authoritarian executive branch and increasingly irrelevant legislative branch. And the dumb low info voters finally waking up when it's too late asking, "Why is this happening?"

Unfortunately, I have to disagree -- the voters of Stockton committed suicide -- they kept voting for these politicians that fleeced their city over and over again.

Perhaps parents in school district should elect their school principals for 4-year terms. Maybe that would make them more accountable to the families they serve.

Interested in running for President, Mr. Sowell? Or, at least the Senate?

Excellent point.

What we do need is stronger laws and penalties against libel and slander. Maybe that would get these crazy leftists from telling so many lies.

What we need are informed voters.

Mr. Sowell, I think your article is fine argument against the Supreme Court's decision in Reynolds v. Sims. I see that decision as a violation of Article IV, Section 4 of the Constitution: "The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government". Instead, they basically imposed majoritarian democracy on the states. It's a decision that should be challenged and overturned or defied by the State Legislatures.