In a world in which 17 people will die of hunger within the next minute, what justifies the $4 billion political orgy we call a presidential election?
If the political discourse had some depth, if the pseudoevents had some real mystery to them, if the electorate took the time to learn what's involved in being a citizen of a self-governing nation, then perhaps, some expenditure to work out the world's longest-running political experiment might be worthwhile.
As it is, we're stuck with a barrage of non-issue advertising. Every moment is a scripted appeal to emotion. One candidate claims to care for the country merely because he failed at war and was taken prisoner, all the while hiding that he really stands for the privilege of the few. The other wants to offer change yet cannot risk exposing the details to his adversary's demagoguery.
In the end we have a very expensive political circus put on by the plutocracy, in the name of an alleged democracy, all aimed at the deluded, defrauded, abused majority of the electorate.
This is true in all the Western democracies, not just the United States. Yet few countries
6 comments:
But, but if they didn't spend all that money, how would I find out that the Obamas are really just like me, that they're not aliens? I'm so relieved.
But you are not really like the Obamas.
Barack has a brother in Nairobi living in abject poverty and hungry.
After all is said and done, Michelle's portrait of Barack is misleading. He cares for those things that bring him direct gratification but not for what may gratify others.
In the end, and I hope it will, Barack's brother George will be a crucial part of his undoing. Why? Because like many other things what he says and what he does are two very different things. He can't be trusted one bit.
As Spock said, humor is a difficult concept. Obviously, Lucy was kidding.
But, wow, John, you need a hate-ectomy, pronto!
I could understand being angry at a president who fooled the country into a war on false pretenses and then botched it.
I need a hate-ectomy. But the fact still remain. Like you said, 17 just died of hunger and even the one that should be taken in most consideration, is still overlooked. Expectations are always a risky business.
As I participate in a local campaign that started over one year ago for a two year position and see all the money and time spent by paid staff and volunteers like me put into this campaign, I think of how all of this energy could be put to solving world hunger and/or other life issues.
Is this country ready for election reform or is the entertainment factor too much part of the process?
Or do we do it (play the election pre-season game)in hope of making changes that will solve some of the world hunger and other issues
I watched every bit on PBS, am glad I did & will continue to do so. Sure there was excess but until we figure out a better way to broadly communicate I'll use this venue along with the rest (such as this blog), thank you.
Anne Malcolm (the above comments remind me about the biblical complaint about the wasted perfume. Not that anyone here cares....)
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