Editor:

I would like to compliment Judd Nielsen for his two-part article on the Democratic Party (“Wake up and smell the moderation,” Feb. 28 and “Get it straight or lose in ’08,” March 1). I think he “hit the nail on the head” with this article.

Unfortunately for Democrats, a move to the center does not appear to be coming soon enough. In my opinion, one of the biggest problems preventing a move to the center for the Democratic Party is that a tremendous amount of political campaign finance comes from the most liberal political organizations, such as MoveOn.org, People for the American Way and Campaign for America’s Future.

In December the head of MoveOn.org sent a message to the group’s supporters that stated: “We bought it, we own it, we’re going to take it back.”

If MoveOn.org, and others like them, has its way there will be no move toward the center for the Democratic Party as long as they “own” the party.

David Olson

Senior, Mechanical Engineering