I am glad the election is over. On the positive side, there is going to be someone different leading the country. I think most of us from both political parties think this is a good thing. I just hope the our current president can get that free trade agreement with Columbia ironed out before he leaves office so he can leave the White House with his head held high knowing he accomplished something realing important for our country during his second term.
The problem with elections is that it is really a litmus test of our own selfishness and stupidity. The interactions between candidates are too often destructive and they frequently contain half truths. Politicians can then come across as whores for power. They will do whatever works to get elected. The conclusion I have reached is that we are influenced by this demeaning and worthless behavrior or they wouldn’t do it. Can we decide we are going to reward someone for talking about specific changes they will make that will improve our city/state/country instead of voting against someone because the other candidate or some supported said they were actually an alien or worse?
Their dialogue and ideas also tend to present largely unrealistic possibilities and too often they go unchallenged. Tax breaks? How can we give tax breaks when we have record debts and deficits? Where is the realism? Shouldn’t the discussion really be on how much ALL our taxes should go up to pay for bailouts and wars so that we give our children a country not completely shackled to debt service. No one wants to hear that message and so no mainstream politician will ever say it. We can do all things and there will be no pain. Voters apparently don’t want realism.
The final problem is the number of voters who are completely guided by their self interest. The may present a case for voting for a candidate based on one reason or another but the reality is they want someone who will make things better for them rather than whats best for our country in the long-run.
What they say, “I really like candidate X, he’s got some great ideas that will move us forward. I read that Candidate Y is an alien and will allow the colinazation of the world as soon as they take office.” The reality of their suppor though goes like, “Candidate Y is going to make things better for someone else, and candidate X will make things better for me – I don’t care what happens to our country so much as I want things that are best for me.”
It’s over – I am letter go – next time I am going to remind myself that election seasons are the best times to go on extended sabiticals to a third world country.
