Pitiful Politics

Are you sick of politics and 24/7 campaign BS (bellicose speechifying)? I am. The time to look at political and campaign reform is long past. At best politics in America has reached a pitiful state. From smug Mr. Obama, who likely will be re-elected, to the bevy of emerging candidates who will go head to head at the August GOP convention in Tampa.

A friend recently expressed her opinion that if everyone would vote for the new kid on the block instead of the incumbent, in three election cycles we would have a new bunch in charge. A bunch of what is the question.

I believe seventy-five percent of those who run for office for the first time are in the race for all the right reasons. They want to make a difference. They believe their fantastic ideas will change the world for the better. And then they show up on their first day on the job after being sworn in and get hit with an ice-cold dose of political reality. Their initiatives won’t even be listened to until they have established their credentials and credibility, which for most national leaders doesn’t happen for years, decades if they last that long.

Local and state office holders face the same challenges. They spend so much time (and money) getting into office, they aren’t fully prepared for reality, which includes listening to constituents, attempting to be progressive in sometimes regressive administrations, wanting  to start something new rather than ensuring the good ideas of the people who came before them are completed successfully, being so honed in on the districts or areas where their supporters live they are unable to see the big picture, and trying to get something done with pennies when dollars – and lots of them – are needed.

We do need to have a system of governance, no doubt about that, but it would be nice if governance was the focus, not partisan politics and getting reelected. No candidate should hold office for more than two consecutive terms, no matter who they are, or what office they hold.  

The cost of campaigns is staggering. If even a portion of that money would be dedicated to encouraging the development of independent businesses, the economy could make a nearly magical turn around. Everyone seems to forget that small business is the backbone of the economy and entrepreneurship drives innovation.

The shock value of campaigning makes most of us gag. Do you really want to hear not just once but countless times that our potential leaders are as flawed as we are? Campaigning should be limited to the six months prior to the primary/caucus (and there should ONLY BE ONE, not one in every state), and targeted on issues not personalities. Candidate spending should be a limited. And get rid of super packs. Good grief, who thought of that? It’s one more way to get around the expectation that reasonable people will behave in reasonable ways.

Political campaigning in the modern age is a sad and destructive joke on all of us. All the wannabes seeking to be the Republican candidate in November should be ashamed of themselves. Little or nothing is being said about the monumental issues facing America and the world, and a lot about what one candidate thinks is wrong with the others. I don’t care what Newt thinks of Mitt, or Rick thinks of Ron, I just want to know they are thinking, which at the moment doesn’t seem to be the case.