On one of the blogs I visit regularly, sudden debt, the proprietor has bemoaned the financialization of presidential elections such that "even Presidential races have now been reduced to dollar figures?" I must admit that to me this seems something like old news, but I do suppose that a case can be made that where presidential elections are concerned, the "process' has somehow managed to become even more crass than ever. Then again...
I must admit I pay little attention to election year(s) goings on because my strong sense is that the entire process is a fraud. Each ghastly election cycle we are given the false sense that what we voters have before us represents meaningful choice. This is pish. While it is almost certainly the case that had Al Gore made it out of the vile clutches of the Supreme Court he would not have amounted to the same sort of catastrophe as George Bush, I still believe that the general state of the nation would be, give or take a few dozen democracy eroding signing statements, every bit as screwed up as it is under the epic cretin, Bush. But I digress from the precise issue which initiated this discussion, namely the financialization of presidential elections.
Suffice it to say the entire nature of Presidential politics could be radically changed for the better by simply making one significant alteration, that is shortening the election season by roughly two thirds. This would remove the death grip that money, especially big money, has on Presidential politics. But because we have about as flaccid a polity as can be imagined, and since, as Frederick Douglas observed, "power never relinquishes its grip voluntarily", it isn't going to happen.
Goodness, when I think of the capabilities of our modern electronic information apparatus coupled with the vacuousness of what is on offer from the majority of the candidates, there is absolutely no justification for the entire rigmarole of campaigns, debates, primaries, party conventions, (followed by more debates), and finally, mercifully, general elections, to last more than three months, tops. Does anyone disagree?
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4 comments:
Hi edwardo, I followed your link over from ded's.
The U.S. is Titanic, moments after striking the berg. The first class passengers think things are great. Down in steerage they know the situation is dire, but can't save themselves. There is no help in D.C., it's every man for himself now.
Thanks for dropping by edgar.
I think D.C. is worse than useless. I believe they are an adversary that will become substantially more hostile over time.
Does anyone disagree?
Not me. The continuous election cycle is completely out of control. And states keep moving up their primaries to boost their self-importance. The whole process needs to be revamped, but no one has the political will to do it.
It's become worse and worse with each election cycle but yes, we've hit the point where the news media, political pundits, and even the blogosphere automatically equates campaign contribution dollars to voting success. It's sickening.
I think D.C. is worse than useless. I believe they are an adversary that will become substantially more hostile over time.
Yep.
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