Off The Record
initial
| Author | Date | Time | Title | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B Ruberton | 2006-12-03 | 16:15:57 | Campaign Reform |
| It seems that the kinds of problems we see in Washington today are a direct result of the way these people come to be in Washington. In a country where the escapades of people like Karl Rove are rewarded and the honest observations of a person like Ralph Nader are drowned out, we should not be surprised at the situation we find these days in our capitol. Indeed the person who is most likely to end up in office is the person who best manages to manipulate the election system either with money or coercion. To expect that a person with this background will suddenly take the moral high ground when elected is naive. The very process that a candidate has to navigate to get elected would seem to produce the least desirable winner especially in the presidential election process. The road to the presidency has been carefully mapped out by the campaign consultants. They develop a plan of attack that targets specific electors and delegates and then funnel the all powerful dollar into the areas that they feel will swing the vote their way. The impact of money is unavoidable in our election process and goes to the root of the problem. There may be a Republican majority facing the end of its reign right now but do they really care or was it expected? Is this just the cycle between right and left taking their turn at the top to take all they can and move on? Can it be said that we, the people, really had a choice in who was elected or is it the dollar that really made the choice? Even with the 2002 Campaign Reform Act, in 2004 the top 20 527 groups raised over $440,000,000.00 for their candidates. This money is not just a contribution but an investment. The spoils at the top are many and to be part of those rewards is worth it to those who pour the money in. Democrats are already reaching out to lobbyists preparing for their turn soon to come. So where do we fit in? Why are we apparently so easily manipulated by the money? The best intentions at campaign reform will never be successful until the voters themselves are reformed. To have your vote predetermined because of your economic, military, religious or ethnic background is ridiculous. And to be coerced by manipulative ads is unforgivable. The voters have to take just a few minutes from their busy day at some point and really think about who they want to vote for. There is plenty of information out there that can give a good insight as to who these candidates really are and what they stand for. By seeking information rather than having it force fed will allow us to control how we think. As the current AARP message states, don’t vote until you know where the candidates stand on the issues. If you’re not going to take the time then don’t vote blindly. Even with an educated electorate we still depend on an imperfect presidential primary and electoral college system to choose our president. Chances are many people feel they must choose the lesser of two evils, rather than a person who will do a good job. With the current unchecked powers that are conveyed to our president, that somehow seems extremely disturbing. |
discussion
| Author | Date | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| M Williams | 2006-12-04 | 18:22:30 |
| Although I agree with the idea of campaign reform I have a hard time believing that all of our presidents are the best manipulators of the system. With the new age of electronic voting machines lets hope that future presidents aren’t the best computer hackers. |
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