|
Tuesday, 24 October 2006 16:44 |
| | Bill Walz |
The late, great "gonzo journalist" Hunter Thompson coined the term, "fear and loathing on the campaign trail." Politicians, particularly right-wing Republicans, saw in this sobriquet, not a rebuke, but rather a strategy, and have been following this formula, sadly to electoral success, ever since. I have since increasingly observed, however, the necessity of adding ǃÚ"vapidity" as a descriptor of the tenor and tone of American political campaigns.
Having tasted the success of fear and loathing as a platform, politicians have realized that there really is no need for any meaningful content. In fact, any candidate who attempts meaningful, nuanced content has, in recent elections, fallen prey to attacks as an elitist intellectual. To quote the Bard: "Full of sound and fury, signifying nothing" seems to work just fine.
I
have advocated for radical campaign reform before, but having endured
another round of this biannual circus, I am more certain than ever that
if the American democracy is to meaningfully address the challenges
awaiting us in the 21st century, the electoral process has to be
drastically reformed.
Here we approach
another election day, and the people know little of any substance about
the candidates for whom they are voting. Insults, accusations and
distortions counter-balanced with insipid endorsements from actors
imitating "just plain folks," repeated endlessly on TV and radio spots,
along with similar mailings and phone-banking, rounded out with
superficial media coverage, will be the sum content of informing the
public about what the candidates stand for. I weep.
Even in
so-called debates, the formula is repeated. They always seem to boil
down to, "my opponent is trying to deceive you, while I am the one who
really cares about what you the voters care for"(whatever that is). I
will lower taxes, protect morality, educate the children, bring
prosperity, keep you safe and hunt down the evildoers, while my
opponent: 1. has no plans 2. has ineffectual plans 3. only cares about
special interest groups." But, in truth, no matter who wins, the only
interests guaranteed to be protected are those of the corporate and
wealthy donors bankrolling this travesty parading as an election. And
the media somberly pretends they are witnesses to meaningful political
events. Again, I weep.
There is a
solution. We need total public financing of all elections and the
banning of political commercials. We need mandatory, serious and
generous media coverage of numerous debates and candidate interviews
based on real and challenging issues. We need this even if it takes a
Constitutional Amendment to get it.
Wouldnët it be
wonderful if the candidates had to answer complex questions posed by
authoritative interviewers about the very serious issues facing this
country and our communities?
We just might
then be able to cast our votes by some better criteria than all the
vapidity, fear and loathing. We just might then get serious and
accountable officials running a government that does something about
what needs doing instead of a government that postures and boasts about
great initiatives while really only maintaining the status quo and
distracting us with vapid fear and loathing policies and military
adventurism.
I propose that
election reform could be the most important issue facing this country,
for without it, none of the other important issues will ever get
meaningfully addressed. I ask, have you heard any candidate speak about
it? No, I didnët think so.
ï
Bill Walz is a
UNCA adjunct faculty member and a private practice teacher of
mindfulness, personal growth and consciousness. He may be contacted at
bill.walz-at-worldnet.att.net or (828)258-3241.
|
