John,

"My proposals are not rigid or doctrinaire -- they merely demand relentless commitment to community."

I was wondering if you are familiar with the ideas of M. Scott Peck, Robert Greenleaf, or Peter Block, to name a few, on community, community building and related issues.

I have railed against America's addiction to mindless materialism in the Fray. Addictions are often manifestations of deeper disorders and the the rise of mindless materialism in America cannot be unrelated to the destruction of community and community-based values.

This is a nonpartisan issue. Daniel Patrick Moynihan correctly foresaw that a purely materialistic welfare policy would devastate poor families. Many conservative Christians are beginning to recognize that their alliance of convenience with the monied interests on Wall Street has been a pact with the Devil.

Concomitant with the rise of mindless materialism in this country has been the rise of chauvinistic militarism, a trend that will destroy this once-great nation, if we aren't already past the point of no return. So is your relentless commitment to community (and community-based values) the answer?

Perhaps it is. And perhaps this is the discussion that we as a nation should be having in this election campaign season. But the campaign agenda is set by the candidates and the media so I hope that you'll forgive me if I don't hold my breath.