Homegrown Democrat

The radio storyteller speaks his partisan piece in tender prose that will bring a tear to the eye of those of his fans (and perhaps a larger audience) who feel betrayed by their government. 'Something has gone wrong with the Republican Party,' Keillor writes. 'Once, it was the party of pragmatic Main Street businessmen in steel-rimmed spectacles who decried profligacy and waste, were devoted to their communities, and supported the sort of prosperity that raises all ships.' Now, he writes, 'it's the No. 1 reason why the rest of the world thinks we're deaf, dumb, and dangerous.' Keillor reclaims and brandishes the banner of liberalism -- 'the politics of kindness' -- for Americans wondering what they can do to help make the nation a better, safer place for everyone.