Thoughts on the Eve of the First Presidential Debate

It is the season for vindictive word slinging. I look at where politics and political advertising and publicity focuses now compared to twenty years ago and I feel disgust. The hate commercials, the pointing fingers and pointed jabs, and the honeyed words that drip with poison, all work not only to get one candidate voted into office and another one to fail, but separates the nation into opposing camps of belief. That separation continues into the cities and towns and spreads into individual families and I am speaking out about it now!

The basis of any campaign is to unify a group of people behind a banner - political, faith-driven, or just following the good-looking woman or man to the local laundromat - the goal is getting people to follow not only in belief but with their votes. To do this, candidates spew hatred and polarizing platforms of beliefs and ideas at their constituency. They seem to do this with the mistaken belief that the day after the election people will awaken fresh and clean and be ready to once more join together and make their city, state or nation great. Well, I've got news for you. The hatred that is fostered in the previous weeks or months cannot and does not end overnight. Instead it spills over into the sewers and gutters, onto the playgrounds and campuses, and oozes into the homes and the halls of government. Do you want to know why Congress accomplishes nothing outside of party divides? Here's one answer - not the only one to be sure, but one answer.

I live in a house divided and have for many years. I am a liberal, hippie from the 60's married to a man who is a conservative. There are issues that we just agree to not discuss because we just don't, and won't, agree. But when I hear him express "I wish I could vote for B.O. but I just can't. I'm too afraid of what he'll do to this country with another four years of power." then the hate ads and general mistrust that they seed have come to root. He doesn't want to vote FOR a candidate, he wants to vote AGAINST a candidate. In my book, that's a poor option, but it may be the only option available for many this election season.

Maybe a change of governmental type? But democracy, as

stumbling as it may be sometimes, still allows for individual

expression so I have to support it.

Whatever happened to deeds making the person? Whatever happened to less words and more action? All I hear from both of the Presidential candidates is words and they are words that probably can't be backed by action because Congress won't walk across the aisle to accomplish the government of this country. This party-focused political stance echoes down into the state legislatures and municipal governmental structures as well. It is the bane of a democratic system.

On the eve of the first Presidential Debate, keep in mind that there will be a lot of hot air on that stage tonight. Just remember that it's not the two people on that stage who will be able to effect change, it is a whole governmental system that needs to change. Will it? If commercials that spew hatred continue, I doubt it.

This has been a non-paid political endorsement of nobody. :-b