Stop Election BS

Well, the conventions are over. Now the serious bs begins. Jackson Browne observed in one of his songs that we elect our president like we buy our soap. I think, however, the soap manufacturers might be subject to truth in advertising while the political operatives conjure up tv and radio spots based on the latest polling data. Truth has nothing to do with the crafting of the message. Falsehood seems to be standard.

What is most disturbing about this American election is that we are asked if we want to contribute to this travesty of democracy on out tax forms. John McCain is getting 84 million in public funding. Obama declined figuring he could get more through contributions. And now the game gets serious. And tv and radio and print salesmen can't help but salivate at the prospects. Overseeing this circus of circumvention is a host of regulatory bodies.

Let's stop for a moment and ask some simple questions. Who grants licensing to tv and radio stations? Aren't stations ask to demonstrate and provide time for the public good? Public service announcement and the like are required. How come stations can make millions and millions of dollars and yet the most important and certainly central event in a democracy is the elections is not considered in this category.

I offer a simple solution. First, no political advertising. Is this a curtailment of the First Amendment? Well, I remember that argument that the First Amendment gives no one the right to shout out “fire” in a theater. Certainly, the bs that parades as information can be questioned. But how about if we skirt this touchy issue.

Let's give all candidates a set amount of time. I don't care what it is. It certainly can be substantial, say fifty hours a piece. Also, let's use one of the public, non-partisan watch dog group to review the candidates' message. Any statement that fails a veracity test will be so noted. Now I would prefer a simple “BS” in red flashed across the screen anytime an outright fabrication is utter by a candidate. There could be various other warnings, like “fudging the statistics.” What I am suggesting is that outright deceptive statements need to be called for what they are. Isn't it more important we protect our freedom by exposing any all bs from the information receive upon which we vote for a candidate than to allow some group or candidate to lie.

I find it interesting that the press for the most part talks of the aura of a candidate statements. “Oh she was striking in her presentation.” The time for serious politics is at hand. We can't rely on the media for they are engaged in deceptive dance with the politicians. They talk to each other so much that they start to believe the bs of each other and further promote their own welfare.

The public needs to be saved from this display of political bs. We need to have intelligent presentations of issues not sixty seconds of bs designed to dupe us into believing what we are inclined to believe.
And oh by the way. Let's get the media out of the debates. Pontificating personalities have no place in our public debate. If the media had pursued a course of the public good, perhaps. But each and every news outlet promotes itself. My recommendation is to have a reputable college polemics department hold the debate and make sure the participants stick to the format. No more one liners that stay on message.

We need a serious election based on issues and positions.