A 'Third Way' On Intelligent Design?

Once again, I'm giving you policy ideas from a TV show. How much lower can I go? (Not that much lower than my betters, perhaps: Daily Kos: Bush team plagiarizes West Wing).

Last night's "West Wing" episode starts out with the Democratic candidate for president trying to do what most mainstream Democrats try to do these days: talk about education without talking about intelligent design.

It's a local issue, he's told to say. Separation of powers, I mean church and state. Etc. All of it designed to mollify the ACLU and other folks, but none of it satisfying.

But then comes a moment of inspiration, in which the candidate (hunky Jimmy Smits from NYPD Blue) starts out by saying, "I believe in God, and I believe that God is intelligent," and then goes on basically to reassert the notion that, while believing in God and science are not incompatible, the scientific theory known as evolution should be taught in science and God should be for home and church.

Simplistic? Ohmygodyes. Upsetting and slippery-sloping, perhaps to many Democrats. Yep. Refreshing to hear from the Democratic side of things? To be sure.

You can find a pre-air script summary if you scroll down here.
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