Logos of the Bogus

It's Tearing Us Apart

Posted by Bernard Hall on Jan. 28, 2008

This was supposed to be the most interesting the presidential election in over a generation.  The wide open for both parties, we were supposed to get the best candidates.  Of the best candidates, we are supposed to nominate the best people to become the next president.  Of the two nominees, we will elect a president that we all can be proud of.  What is going on?

Listening to the rhetoric of the campaign, we are supposed to get experienced change.  We are supposed to get something new yet familiar.  We are supposed to be coming into a new era of politics, with some old favorites.  However, the more things change, the more they stay the same.  It's back to the old spiel.  The candidates and the media are trying to distract us.  By focusing on a bunch of issues that really don't matter to voters.  That of course would be anything except the economy.  Once again we're trying to get a referendum on the war in Iraq.  Were trying to get a consensus on global warming.  We are trying to find out which religion can best interpret our American values.  By becoming distracted by these topics, the candidates are polarizing the electorate.  Even in orations which emphasize the coming together of different and diverse groups, the opposite is being accomplished.

In just over a week, over half the states will of had their primaries or caucuses.  In little more than a week, we may know who the nominees of the respective parties will be.  Maybe not.  The negativity and personal barbs at the candidates are going to be throwing and each other are supposed to help us decide who will be the best person for the next four years.  Or will they help us to decide that neither of the candidates will be worth the effort for us to go to the polls.  We think we want to get along with everyone.  Yet, we want some good old in your face politics.  We want my candidate to be better than your candidate.  Yet we don't want to offend anyone.  We're looking for a uniter for these states.  We want everyone to join in and win.  After all, there can only be one president of the United States at a time.  You want the one person who will appeal to everyone.  Even though we know it cannot be done.

After all the primaries and caucuses are over, then it will be time to get real nasty.  The character assassinations, the mudslinging, and the muckraking will become more intense.  Yet on January 20, 2009, we will want everyone to be united.  It's the future of our country that is at stake.  It is a dialectic task to unite us as one people, one nation, and select the next president of the United States.  It should be something that unites us, however, it seems to be tearing us apart.