Politics - A wee Rant

Okay.  I'm done. 

We've got another 10 weeks or so before the elections, and I'm already way past done with the political fracas.  Yep, it's true, I didn't even make it to the second of the Big Conventions.

I'm already offended by political ads.

I've already tired of the pundits who are wholly unable to present a balanced picture of any candidate, but are wicked good at presenting one like a paragon while presenting the other like a vindictive snake oil salesman determined to destroy the country.

And I'm past tired of receiving telephone calls promoting candidates, polling for my voting intentions, and urging me to stop by somewhere to pick up yard signs. (I'm contemplating lying to the rest of the pollsters who call -- just to skew their data).

I'd like all political ads and commentary to evaporate.

I loathe the two-party system, that keeps us from having real options in electing candidates who actually do stand for the same principals we do, but instead offer us puppets who tell us what the parties think we want to hear.  I'd like to see the Green Party, the Libertarian Party, the Socialist Party and any other party whose current name I've forgotten .... all of them to be on equal footing with the Big Two in every election.  I'd love to see the U.S. adopt the Australian system of Preferential Voting.  That would eliminate the fear many people have of voting for their preferred candidate instead of against one of the big two.

I'm appalled that without actively searching for it, one gets no information on the cadidates for any but the Big Two parties. (Did YOU know that we have a woman running for president?  Why isn't that all over the news, Facebook etc?)

I despise the system that lets huge corporations fund advertising campaigns that are designed to make us fear the other guy, and then hide behind the Party so we can't tell who is actually paying for things.

I'd like to find a way to REQUIRE every candidate for EVERY political office to honestly and completely answer an identical set of questions about their positions on a full panoply of issues, and another set of questions on their intentions -- what they will do if elected. I'd like them to be required to answer these questions without the help of their handlers, so we get the CANDIDATE's answers and not the PARTY's answers.  And, I'd like these answers in writing, and posted on at least one web site so that we can all go look at them, and read them, and make reasoned choices.  There is such a site, of course, but the candidates don't have to answer their questions, and often skip questions.  And candidates for local offices (and even state elections) often don't answer at all.  (And how do we know it's the candidates and not their handlers answering the questions?).  VoteSmart used to be my favorite, but they're way behind right now.  A quick google search did not yield anything useful. 

But mostly, I'd like to hear not one more word from any candidate or party, or PAC, about why the other guy is a bad choice.  I'd like to hear ONLY why any candidate (or supporter) thinks s/he is a GOOD choice.  In short, I'd like them to quit telling me why to vote against the other guy, and start telling me why I might want to vote FOR someone.

Comments

[kmkat]

...and I would like Congress to outlaw corporate contributions.

[Janine]

I also really dislike the "pollsters" calling, ostensibly for my opinion but they really represent some political view. That's why I am screening my landline until November.
Do you know what's worse? Todd Akin represents my Congressional District. How about science education for all members of Congress?

[Bev]

I am so tired of the politics of late as well. I too want every party represented equally. Our political system is a disgrace at the moment!