Monday, May 12, 2008

Pandering

Observing the insanity of the current US Presidential race makes me want to barf. But it's nevertheless INTERESTING for what it reveals about the nature of our country and political system.



In particular, I've been reflecting upon all the PANDERING that goes on. Candidates who ought to know better are eschewing wise, ethical, forward-looking policy in favor of idiotic bribes to their dumbest constituents. Case in point; both McCain and Clinton are pushing to repeal the gas tax this summer. Of course it won't help; oil companies will simply raise the price and pocket the difference, while potholes deepen, transit projects fester for lack of highway funds, and the skies are choked with smog and greenhouse gases. Geez...

Perhaps pandering is a necessary evil of a democratic system that allows everyone to vote. But I worry that it will eventually lead to an idiocracy in which responsible, intelligent candidates always lose to the sell-outs who will say and do anything to win. We may be there already. Even Obama, who has taken a relatively high road, has been forced to say dumb stuff to appease the bozos who think he's an unpatriotic muslim terrorist sympathizer. Stuff like, "I am a devout Christian. ... I pray to Jesus every night".

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That's fine. I just think it's sad that he has to make such a specific profession of religious faith to be electable in this supposedly open, secular nation.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Do you really believe intelligent people run for office?
No one can be an outsider and run for office. By the time you are this far along in your political career you have kissed everyones to the pink. Most people make their choice for President according to their own personnal situation at the time, the present. Besides I think Congress is much more to blame for most of the problems not any one President. Congress controls the money and funding determines most outcomes.

later
frank

James Douglass said...

Hey Frank- Yeah, I believe intelligent people run for office. But like you say, they can't win unless they kiss a lot of butts, including the big stinky ones.

John said...

right on, don't even get me started on this topic...lo. my theory is, you have to be a scumbag to get to the top, if your not then you will get pushed out before you get there by the scumbags. The result: anyone who runs for president is a scumbag. to be short and sweet

Catapulting Aaron said...

Obama didn't mention that he's actually praying to Jesus, his gardener.

Johnny Douglass said...

Last night on Fox News I saw McCain claiming he will ferociously fight the battle against global warming. That's a good one.