Spring Break
Decision 2008: Get it over with already
James O'Neill
Issue date: 2/22/08 Section: Ed-Op
Is there anything better, or worse, than a good election? I have been watching the campaigns like everyone else (though not necessarily by choice), and I have seen the football-esque scoreboards, the 10 second speech clips, the Iowa/New Hampshire freak shows, and, oh God, the debates.
It is amazing that this country takes more than two years from start to finish to choose just one person. We elect an entire congress in less time than that, and on less soft money. Given the wonderful free ways of getting one's message out there, it is amazing that anyone should need to produce anywhere from $12 to $15 million just to be able to swing a decent campaign. Campaign finance reform, anyone?
What is absolutely pathetic is that despite all this money being spent on rallies an press releases, despite all the "hard campaigning," and despite all the time we have to decide before we actually vote, it is considered a miracle if half the eligible population actually goes to the polls.
This year's election is proving to be comical, with Hillary and Obama splitting the underdog vote and Republican candidates going in and out of style faster than shoulder pads. The non-black or female Democratic candidates were largely ignored, and I gave up keeping track of the Republicans some time ago. Pundits are tossing around the typical phrases (conservative, Christian vote, left-wing, liberal vote, Hispanic vote, black vote, etc.), people are watching glaze-eyed as they rotate with other talking heads on CNN, and the way they act on camera is given more importance than what they actually think.
What amazes me is that this country, the self-appointed "Leader of the Free World," Beacon of Democracy," "World's Only Superpower" and so on still holds elections that take half the presidential term. And what's absolutely sad about this is that five months into the election, and after the charmingly named Super Tuesday (which makes it sound like a discount sale), I still have no idea what any of the alleged candidates stand for. I have heard the reply, "Oh, you just have to look for it."
It is amazing that this country takes more than two years from start to finish to choose just one person. We elect an entire congress in less time than that, and on less soft money. Given the wonderful free ways of getting one's message out there, it is amazing that anyone should need to produce anywhere from $12 to $15 million just to be able to swing a decent campaign. Campaign finance reform, anyone?
What is absolutely pathetic is that despite all this money being spent on rallies an press releases, despite all the "hard campaigning," and despite all the time we have to decide before we actually vote, it is considered a miracle if half the eligible population actually goes to the polls.
This year's election is proving to be comical, with Hillary and Obama splitting the underdog vote and Republican candidates going in and out of style faster than shoulder pads. The non-black or female Democratic candidates were largely ignored, and I gave up keeping track of the Republicans some time ago. Pundits are tossing around the typical phrases (conservative, Christian vote, left-wing, liberal vote, Hispanic vote, black vote, etc.), people are watching glaze-eyed as they rotate with other talking heads on CNN, and the way they act on camera is given more importance than what they actually think.
What amazes me is that this country, the self-appointed "Leader of the Free World," Beacon of Democracy," "World's Only Superpower" and so on still holds elections that take half the presidential term. And what's absolutely sad about this is that five months into the election, and after the charmingly named Super Tuesday (which makes it sound like a discount sale), I still have no idea what any of the alleged candidates stand for. I have heard the reply, "Oh, you just have to look for it."
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
A Voter
posted 2/22/08 @ 9:11 AM EST
Why are you complaining that people finally, ACTUALLY, care about who their president is? I think it is feasible to take two years to decide who should lead a country that has the political and economic means to affect the world around it so greatly. (Continued…)
Ian Harry
posted 3/10/08 @ 9:54 PM EST
I suck at football. I know very little about the sport and, as such, I certainly wound not write an entire editorial about the Eagles and their chances of going to the Superbowl for The Triangle. (Continued…)
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