For some time, I have wondered how come Democrats are not gradually overcoming Republicans, since major metropolitan areas are predominantly Democrat, Republican states are more rural, and populations gradually shifts toward major cities. In listening to the Republican candidates for President and Vice-President speak at the Republican National Convention, the answer became apparent: McCain has 7 children, and Palin has 5. In contrast, Obama has 2 daughters, and Biden has 3 (tragically, 1 died in childhood). This is not an accident: the Republican Party's positions against contraception and abortion and pro-religion are a virtual guarantee of a larger average expansion from generation to generation. In order to keep a balance, Democrats must constantly be educating the children of Republicans away from the political convictions of their parents. Luckily, a fair fraction of the time, that's not too hard. But it's a whole lot easier to make love than to change a Republican's heart.