Election-itis
I am delighted to see that the election is finally over. I detest the haranguing, mud slinging and general Circus Maximus attitude that seems to be thought of as 'needed' by the candidates.
Surely it would be cheaper and simpler to list the "I will and I won't lists" of each candidate and air them regularly (say once a week for 3 months) but not excessively, on the assorted public media for some months prior to the election. This could be done before the primary as well. Save money, save time and give the voting population a much better picture of what each candidate stood for or against. Updates could be included as topics were added. I firmly believe that the time for the need of the electoral college is long gone and past.
I DO vote and I do try to pick candidates who appear to be what would be good for my hometown, state and the USA. It is my right and privilege and I don't plan on wasting it. I find more information on candidates that I feel is as unbiased as any can be during an election in posts from the various non-party-affiliated groups. At least there I don't have to swim through the hype, slogans and general boiler plate that fills the political mailings and rallies. The folks who actually benefit from the onslaught of the mailings are the paper producers and printers. Good for them - they can use the money.
What makes me even sadder are the number of folks who say "why bother to vote - my one vote won't make any difference". That, gentle readers, is a definite 'Use it or Lose it' potential situation. I admit that there have been too many times when I voted for a poor choice to help the numbers against what I considered a worse choice. I suspect a lot of folks don't think that the local level candidates are really important in a presidential election and THAT is so very wrong on many levels. Our local candidates are our local voices to the next level and that second level has the ear of the next level. Consequently those local folks ARE very important. So I tend to concentrate on them more than I do on whose going to be the next president in some elections. And THAT, my friends is why your vote DOES count.
I hope the next four years improve. I hope the economy improves. I hope the politicians come to their senses and just do their jobs to achieve what's best FOR the people. I have a lot of other opinions about what our political leaders could do to improve things but I've ranted enough and the soap box really needs to go rest in the closet.
Surely it would be cheaper and simpler to list the "I will and I won't lists" of each candidate and air them regularly (say once a week for 3 months) but not excessively, on the assorted public media for some months prior to the election. This could be done before the primary as well. Save money, save time and give the voting population a much better picture of what each candidate stood for or against. Updates could be included as topics were added. I firmly believe that the time for the need of the electoral college is long gone and past.
I DO vote and I do try to pick candidates who appear to be what would be good for my hometown, state and the USA. It is my right and privilege and I don't plan on wasting it. I find more information on candidates that I feel is as unbiased as any can be during an election in posts from the various non-party-affiliated groups. At least there I don't have to swim through the hype, slogans and general boiler plate that fills the political mailings and rallies. The folks who actually benefit from the onslaught of the mailings are the paper producers and printers. Good for them - they can use the money.
What makes me even sadder are the number of folks who say "why bother to vote - my one vote won't make any difference". That, gentle readers, is a definite 'Use it or Lose it' potential situation. I admit that there have been too many times when I voted for a poor choice to help the numbers against what I considered a worse choice. I suspect a lot of folks don't think that the local level candidates are really important in a presidential election and THAT is so very wrong on many levels. Our local candidates are our local voices to the next level and that second level has the ear of the next level. Consequently those local folks ARE very important. So I tend to concentrate on them more than I do on whose going to be the next president in some elections. And THAT, my friends is why your vote DOES count.
I hope the next four years improve. I hope the economy improves. I hope the politicians come to their senses and just do their jobs to achieve what's best FOR the people. I have a lot of other opinions about what our political leaders could do to improve things but I've ranted enough and the soap box really needs to go rest in the closet.