Using a horrific natural disaster for rancorous partisan attacks against President Bush and his administration by biased news media, racial antagonists, radical activists and dishonest Democrats is simply unconscionable. Indeed, the escalating blame, shame and demonization game going on over the tragic losses and devastation caused by hurricane Katrina amounts to little more than self-serving exploitation of human suffering for political gain.

It is painfully clear that civil debate in the two-party system -- as evidence by the 1998 presidential impeachment, the 2000 presidential election, the 2001 attack on America, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the 2004 presidential election, and the Katrina disaster -- has been reduced to mindless, hateful politics, beyond reason and common sense.

Certainly, the social, political and economic divisions are dangerous to our national health and security. Maybe the time has come for nonpartisan elections and government, and more democracy. Our survival may very well depend on it.