Forty years ago, as a college student, a professor in my introductory political science course taught us that one should always vote a straight-party ticket, as opposed to voting for any individual candidate. He theorized that any single elected official could seldom accomplish any real good, but was definitely capable of a great deal of harm. The philosophy of the party, for efficient function, was more important than any individual. This appears prophetic today when I reflect upon the dismal state of partisan politics and yet another upcoming presidential election.

George Will once wrote, in this publication, something to the effect that Bill Clinton may not have been the worst president the republic has ever had, but he is the worst person to have ever been president, and that his legacy to the Democratic Party was nothing short of tragic. Will was correct. The so-called Clinton-haters were never difficult to understand. They viewed him, with good reason, as a serial sex offender and con man, obsessed with himself.

When confronted with his offenses, he resorted to political guerrilla warfare, engulfing his party, and the nation, in a constant and distracting storm. Democrats were forced to either abandon issues and concentrate on shouting down Clinton “detractors,” or jettison him and his cronies and begin anew. Sadly, but not unexpectedly, they chose the former.

Democratic leaders whined after losing the last election that they just hadn’t been able to get their message across. How foolish. The message was loud and clear; no one bought it. It resembled that old nursery rhyme: “When in danger or in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout.” The current crop of candidates predictably is following the same tired routine. They resemble little more than small, shrill predators, with no greater goal then to hope to nibble somehow on a fallen GOP carcass.

Clinton may indeed have “gotten away with it,” but he left his party embracing an agenda shallow and short-sighted, devoid not only of ideas, but ideals. Scrape away the sound and fury, and there is nothing underneath.

This nation cannot afford to risk electing to power a Democratic Party slate of craven leadership devoted to the defense of lies and immorality, one that selfishly fractures all values in sole pursuit of political power. The Republican Party continues to represent a providential call to reason and sanity.

Peter V. Bieri is a physician who is retired from a local practice of head and neck surgery and has lived in Lawrence since 1976.