Politics used to fascinate me. I almost double-majored in it in college, but chose to minor in it instead. And while politics used to intrigue me (okay a teeny tiny part of me is still interested in doing educational policy one day), I cannot say the same thing about politicans, especially right now. As a good little US citizen and daughter of a former local politician, I totally get that it's important to vote. I'm completely serious when I tell you that I helped out with a local campaign at age five, I'm not sure I was a big help, but I helped. In high school when my Dad ran for School Board I stood at the polls one rainy afternoon with my friend Kate holding a sign, yes, I was one of those people. Most likely, I will do my civic duty and vote in November. I also understand that candidates want people to vote for them so they have to advertise, but come on, enough is enough. I recently read that a significant percentage of the population does not decide who they're going to vote for until Election Day so if that's the case how about we ban political ads until the week before the election. Now I don't particularly like commercials (except during the Super Bowl), but these political ads really annoy me. They are on every other ad. I'm not even exaggerating. Today I was watching the news at the gym and during one commerical break I saw 4 ads for various politicans. I mean those Sara McLachlan commercials that encourage you to adopt animals make me cry, but I'd rather watch those any day over these darn political ads. Second, I can't stand the negative campaigning. Sure, try convince me to vote for you, but don't say so many mean things about the other person. Can't we all just get along? Tell me why to vote for you not why your opponent is a doo-doo head. The reason I think they do all these negative ads is because it's easier than talking about the issues. I try to educate myself at least a little bit on the candidates so when I vote I am making a somewhat educated decision, but so many of them talk in circles; getting them to tell you a concrete plan to fix things seems impossible. I'll watch the debates and sit there going why can't he/she just answer the question? Either answer the question or confess that you don't know. It's much better than:
Debate moderator Joe Random: Candidate A, how do you plan to reduce pollution?
Candidate A: Well, thank you for that question Bill, but first, let me say happy birthday to Susie Q and let's all take a minute to remember Susie Q because yesterday she saved a cat from a dog and people, if I am elected I will work to keep saving cats from dogs. We need to work together on this, my opponent is anti-cats, where I have fought for the rights of cats for the past four years, blah blah blah blah are you even still reading this blog?
Moderator Joe Random: Time is up, thank you Candidate A, Candidate B same question
Candidate B: Well, let me start by saying thank you for having us here tonight Joe. And second, I am not anti-cats, I like cats, but I voted for Bill LOTSOFLETTERSANDNUMBERS because blah blah blah blah and time is up again and once again we have no answers to the original pollution question.
How about the moderator says: Answer the question or shut up?
An exaggeration on my part? Yes, but you see my point, I hope or maybe I'm just crazy.
1 comment:
omg. when the candidates thank 1400 people before they start answering questions at debates it makes me want to scream. especially since later on in the debate they're going to be blabbing over their time limit and arguing over "but HE got extra time, so I should too!" how about this? from here on in, everyone should just consider themselves thanked.
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