|
have some good ideas. It's completely and totally meaningless. The truth of the matter is that EVERYONE has a few good ideas in their lifetime. Even a broken clock is right 2 times a day, and even GWB has had an occasional lucid day.
It's not a candidate's attitude, either. The best politicians are the best actors--even Oscar worthy. What we need to do is look at the whole picture--the candidate, his or her entire philosophy, their voting record, the bills they have supported or sponsored, their friends, articles they have written, their history and their actions and deeds.
Have they shown some fault in judgment more than once on the same topic? If they have, they're hiding their support of that topic and can't come out in the open about it. Bad move.
Have they been associated with someone who has been convicted of a major crime? We're all familiar with the many friends of Jack Abramoff--we hardly need another scandal like that, do we?
Why did they get into politics? Do they want recognition and power? Or do they genuinely want to work for the people in the country?
What kind of education do they have? Are they literate? Can they speak without tripping over their own tongue? Are they articulate enough to make themselves understood by most people?
Are they real Democrats? Or have they become Democrats to secure votes and hide their true agenda?
What is their "pet charity?" Do they do volunteer work for the photo opportunities, or without extensive publicity because it's actually something they're devoted to?
The news media refuses to assist in showing us the true people behind the public persona of the candidates. They refuse to show extensive backgrounds and histories, but enjoy showing only tabloid worthy glimpses of them instead. Once upon a time, before the short attention spans of the mass millions, candidates could prove their worth and their devotion to their own causes and their own consciences. Now, if someone is photogenic, at ease in front of the cameras and can lie through smiling teeth, their future is guaranteed. Qualifications for statesmanship are pushed under the carpet as though they were embarrassing, and the field of politics continues to slide further into oblivion.
We need to encourage our candidates to forfeit a modicum of their public persona and show us in as many ways as possible that they are worthy of our votes and that they stand for the things we want them to stand for.
|