To say that the current election is atypical would be a gross understatement. We have no other presidential election to compare it to and we have become somewhat numb to the rhetoric and general confusion of the process.
First of all it has been more than a year since the multitude of candidates announced their intentions to be our next president. And in debate after debate there was an expectation of entertainment and no expectation of policy or potential direction from any of the candidates. And that is the nutshell around which this post is based. We now have two candidates who have become the entertainment duo that is making decisions for voters very difficult.
As an example let’s look at the three presidential debates that were watched by more people than any other debates in history. Were the 61 million viewers for the last debate expecting substantive policy positions and clear differences in their approach to governing? No, the majority were hoping for fireworks and gladiatorial conflict. Would the Christians or Lions win? Who knows? Unfortunately, the voters lost!
We have had debates in the past where there were “one liners” that were entertaining but the process was civil and frequently, as with most debates, not really helpful. As always there is the litany of those problems that the candidates think that the voters want to hear about and how they will solve them. Of course, they fail to recognize publicly that the Executive branch is only one third of our government and that Congress makes the law and the Supreme Court mediates any differences. It is the democratic checks and balance. The president cannot change the tax laws, or build a wall without Congress!
Fortunately, it is almost over and there will be a winner and loser. But, throughout this agonizing process there have been big winners; the networks and cable news outlets. This has been a windfall for them and only marginally helpful to the voter.
Elections should be based on substance and not entertainment and soon I can replace this post with something less pessimistic…
First of all it has been more than a year since the multitude of candidates announced their intentions to be our next president. And in debate after debate there was an expectation of entertainment and no expectation of policy or potential direction from any of the candidates. And that is the nutshell around which this post is based. We now have two candidates who have become the entertainment duo that is making decisions for voters very difficult.
As an example let’s look at the three presidential debates that were watched by more people than any other debates in history. Were the 61 million viewers for the last debate expecting substantive policy positions and clear differences in their approach to governing? No, the majority were hoping for fireworks and gladiatorial conflict. Would the Christians or Lions win? Who knows? Unfortunately, the voters lost!
We have had debates in the past where there were “one liners” that were entertaining but the process was civil and frequently, as with most debates, not really helpful. As always there is the litany of those problems that the candidates think that the voters want to hear about and how they will solve them. Of course, they fail to recognize publicly that the Executive branch is only one third of our government and that Congress makes the law and the Supreme Court mediates any differences. It is the democratic checks and balance. The president cannot change the tax laws, or build a wall without Congress!
Fortunately, it is almost over and there will be a winner and loser. But, throughout this agonizing process there have been big winners; the networks and cable news outlets. This has been a windfall for them and only marginally helpful to the voter.
Elections should be based on substance and not entertainment and soon I can replace this post with something less pessimistic…
RSS Feed
