Is It The Candidates Or Us?

I was just reading a column by Susan Jacoby on the dumbing down of America, it made me wonder if we seriously don’t deserve the candidates we are getting. For all the news we consume, from the 24/7 news; internet; and yes, even messageboards, how much time do we actually take to make the connections between what we think and what the candidates say? Even between events in the world, whether they are US decisions such as Iraq or what radical Islam is and what we really think should be done regarding it and our security?

It seems for the most part that our attention spans are what she has noticed, as the comparison with the explanation of the toddlers and their glazed, fixated looks. Is that concentration or is that a disconnect? We have more information coming at us than ever before, yet for all of our ability to comprehend, do we really use it to expand our vision? I can only look at myself regarding this, but I know I’ve changed over the years. I’ve become more partisan, which is pretty weird, considering so many of my beliefs are not really ‘conservative’ at least as defined by many. What has moved me to the partisan role, I think the level of discourse whether from the newspapers, the visual media, and discussions with friends and on the boards.

We’ve become a country of the hurtful, over topics that warrant debate, not hyperbole and insults. The natural reaction to ‘neo-con’, ‘Bush Hitler’, etc., is ‘libtard’, ‘appeaser’, etc. and vice versa. What a waste of time. What a disservice we do as an electorate, citizen, and human being. Unfortunately it not just at the individual level, the newspapers, talk radio, television news pundits have added to the mix. We see it in movies, (interestingly enough it’s not been a box office success for the most part), on late night television, etc.

Well if that is where we are, what do we expect from the candidates? We love to build them up in order to tear them down. It’s the same with the media. Has anyone else noticed the questioning of specifics the media is suddenly asking about Obama? They’ve done the same with Clinton and McCain and Romney. I figure I won’t litter up this post with too many hyperlinks.

So why shouldn’t they give the sound bites they think we want to hear? How many democrats really want to consider that whether they agree with Iraq or not, that leaving precipitously may cause untold damage to our prestige, not to mention what may happen in the Middle East and beyond? How many republicans really want to discuss how our leaders failed to the same degree or more than the other party regarding the deficit, spending, foreign policy with very bad people, including to this minute, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan? Do we really want to discuss these issues openly and honestly? Why should the candidates?

On the messageboards and comments to blogs, it’s much easier to bring up partisanship, claim better education or comprehension, and question one’s sexuality or parentage. Not only non-enlightening, totally discourse adverse. Yet, over and over again, that’s what is happening. Why would the candidates not give Americans what they seem to want?

I am probably an anomaly; I have faith in our system, the process. If we demand better, I believe that will happen. There is no doubt in my mind that the representatives care about their jobs and their power; if they wish to keep both, they must respond when the people do.