Martin O'Malley for president: Why is Martin O'Malley's candidacy for the Democratic nomination for president not being taken seriously? As I see it, he is the perfect choice.

He is a knowledgeable leader who has done good work both as mayor of Baltimore and as governor of Maryland: lowering the crime rate, improving community policing, doing his best to put decent health care in place. He is pretty much as liberal as Bernie Sanders but much more electable; he is poised, good-humored and does not come off as extreme in any way. Yet he cares very much about the plight of the middle class. (Witness his spirited attack on the capital gains tax at both Democratic candidates' debates.) He is the only candidate to point out how unfair it is to tax investment income at a lower rate than earnings from the sweat of the worker's brow.

As for comparing him with Hillary Clinton, he seems much less glib, more trustworthy and less beholden to Wall Street. In short, he strikes me as far more electable than either of the other leading candidates.

It's unfair that both the debate moderators and the media treat him as a non-person. He's my go-to guy, and I think he could be elected.

And if elected, he would serve the country well.

Paula Chernoff

Southeast Portland