Letter of the Day: Checks and balances

<p><b>Checks and balances</b></p><p>EDITOR: As a lifelong Democrat, one might think I would be pleased with the Democratic Party's apparent ascedancy in state and national politics. In actual fact, it worries me greatly. People and institutions possessing of great power require checks and balances.</p><p>In our political system, that balance has traditionally been provided by having two (or more) reasonable competing ideologies. Of late, the Republican Party appears to have disappeared down a rabbit hole of extreme views and take-no-prisoners tactics.</p><p>This is good for neither thoughtful Republicans nor Democrats. We face problems that require reasoned discussion and solutions born of co-operation and compromise. This Democrat fervently hopes that the opposing party can do some housecleaning and return to the real world.</p><p>RICHARD A. DURR</p><p>Santa Rosa</p>