On Sept. 30, C-SPAN presented a news program about whether or not the American voters would grow up in time for the coming election.

Possibly they had read a recent story out of Nashville. A class of third-graders asked to hold an election for class president. All students voted to nominate a classmate. Jim and Olive were the two nominated.

Jim pledged to promote ideas that would improve the class and building. Olive promised ice cream to those who voted for her. Olive won in a landslide.

Not a single 9-year-old asked: Who would pay for the ice cream? Who would feed the cow? Who would milk the cow? Who would clean up the mess in the barn?

But then, 9-year-olds don’t vote.

Bob Grove

Marion