eCapitol.net

 

 The election process in America has become severely trivialized due to the modernity that attempts to change our system of government that was once ruled by the party establishment. In the contemporary United States, the unique perspective once taken in regards to the election of proper representatives of the people’s will has shifted from the traditional party politics that governed the nation based upon party platforms and general consensus on salient issues, to a system of “popularity politics.” 

Elections were the foundation of democracy in Ancient Greek government; the election process was a forum of discussion and deliberation for all male citizens in the assembly. Bringing all males citizens together in a discussion of the policies that ruled their daily lives was essential to direct democracy. However, in representative democracies (like our own) elections and politics often skew the representation that the citizens actually receive.

 In representative democracies, the responsibility for creating policy is shared between the voters and the officials they elect to carry out their will; instead of gathering in assembly, citizens must vote in order to exercise their voice. Elections today are more AND less personal because voters are more engaged yet less informed about the political dialogue that goes along with elections.

The candidate-centered platform used in the YouTube/MySpace generation has involved citizens that have never been considered in the past, by utilizing mechanisms of reaching the populace more efficiently than before. This is possible due to technological advancements that have become the standard means of communication and has defined the future of American politics. Particularly in this presidential election season; a three a.m. text message alerting the youth that Joe Biden is Obama’s vice-presidential nominee, need I say more?

Instead of presidential candidates climbing their way up in their respective party establishment, the virtually unknown and low men on the totem pole are hoisting themselves into the national limelight with empty, yet promising rhetoric without the credentials to back up many of their claims. They are winning the majority over with the same old slick talk but in a new package. Apparently, the masses are tired of being told what to do by “old white men” who seem out of touch. However, I must combat this argument with, not all change (especially that which is left unsaid) is good change.

Moreover, the portion of the population being reached in “popularity politics” are not necessarily the voters that should be reached; the ‘MySpacers’ are composed of virtually new voters who are not active in their local politics whatsoever. The wave of pandering to a base has gone farther in this election than ever before; you can tell this is true when the 70+ year old man has an interactive website and a host of YouTube videos (I’m going to venture to guess that if you asked, he would not be able to pull it up on any computer).

This election has not been about ANY issues, it has been a focused initiative to ad hominem attack the other candidates until there is only one standing. And everything is fair game; from illegitimate teenage births to half brothers living in huts in Kenya. It is hard to remember any policy positions when none have been presented or distinguished from the other candidates’.

 Is it possible that all the high tech campaigning is tainting the real part of the American populace that is dedicated to the electoral process?

The answer is a resounding YES! While the Democrats will tout their extraordinary increased voter registration numbers, the majority of those new voters are the so-called “MySpacers”, who are between 18 and 35; which any historical inquiry into the frequency and reliability of this demographic are insignificant at best. So, while the Dems court the ‘youth vote’, the Republicans are stimulating the foundation of their base with Palin’s rampant evangelicalism.

I understand that most would counter this argument with the fact that this election season has energized a lot of people who would have otherwise remained marginalized within the system. But, upon closer examination, are those people that we really want voting anyway? It is great that the masses are enthusiastic about their possibility of leaders, or perhaps just a change in leadership period. Instead of playing into this game of “popularity politics” and easing the population into the process, maybe talking about the issues that plague our nation and actually engage the citizenry in an intellectual conversation about the future and health of our democracy.  

 

It is funny to see the far right so "exuberant" over Governor Palin joining the ticket with John McCain.  Since one of the main anchors of far right ideology is that American public schools are failing and we must hold graduates to increasingly high standards, if we are going to compete with the godless Chinese hordes (who go to government schools by the way). It is interesting that they want to elect such a subpar candidate to help manage the free world.

 

Let’s start off with the premise that we should select our leaders with at least as much care as one would hire someone for an important corporate job.  Take a look at the resumes of the four candidates for President and Vice-President; you will agree Palin would not have even received an interview if she sent her resume in for Vice-President of medium-sized bank, much less the most powerful nation on earth.

 

First let me state that I respect John McCain.  I do not agree with him on policy much of the time but he is clearly the kind of individual who is qualified to run for president.  His resume is superb.  McCain is a graduate of one the best public higher educational institutions in the world - the United States Naval Academy.  The admission to the USNA is very competitive and the curriculum is difficult enough for most extraordinary students, without the military training that goes with it.  McCain excelled at the USNA and then became a top notch fighter pilot.  He has been an outstanding member of the United States Senate for many years afterward, specializing in budget, ethics, and international issues.  McCain does not have any executive branch experience, and as a certain General noted recently, getting shot down in an airplane doesn't make you a foreign policy expert.

  

It is only fair to look at the credentials of the Democratic Ticket as well.  Barack Obama, despite growing up in less than ideal family circumstances was admitted to both Occidental College in Los Angeles (a highly selective and academically rigorous institution) and then the Ivy League's Columbia University.  He graduated with honors and then was accepted to one of the pinnacles of American higher education - Harvard University Law School, where he made Law Review.  Obama continued to distinguish himself.  He turned down corporate law offers and immersed himself in representing the working man, creating economic opportunity as a community organizer in South Chicago.  That shows some organizational and managerial skill.  He also became a law professor at one of the top law schools in the country - the University of Chicago.  This is a difficult job to get - you can't get there with a mediocre record.  He was then elected first to the Illinois State Senate and then the United States Senate.  Obama does not have any executive branch experience either - same as McCain.  His legislative record is not nearly as long.

 

Joe Biden graduated from his home state university - University of Delaware.  Delaware's average ACT score is 27 and Honors students score a 30 on average.  The middle 50% of the 2007 class had a grade point of 3.45 - 3.9.  Delaware is a fine state university.  Biden went on from Delaware to Syracuse Law School.  While Syracuse is not Ivy League rated, it is a charter member of the American Association of Law Schools, and rated in the top ten in the nation in trial and appellate law.  After law school, Biden was elected to a County Council position, and  then 2 years later to the United States Senate.  He has been the Chair of both the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.  Biden is also without executive branch experience, but his legislative record rivals or exceeds McCain's.

 

Now let’s compare the others' background to Palin.  She attended Wasilla High School in Alaska - a town of less than 7,000 people (nothing wrong with that, but small town kids need to distinguish themselves).  Other than admitting to smoking pot and playing basketball, she didn't seem to do much to set herself apart.  She was pretty though and almost became Miss Alaska. 

 

She then managed to get into the University of Idaho which I am sure is a fine public institution.  It should be noted, however, that the University of Idaho's current website lists the admission requirements to be a 2.6 high school grade point and a 15 on the ACT.  While the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University have a long way to go before joining the elite public universities of the nation, let it be said that a 2.6 and an ACT of 15 would not even allow you to smell the wait list at OU and OSU.  She would have had to begin remedial courses at almost every institution in this state. And she did not exactly breeze her way through school.  She dropped out of Idaho after a while to try Hawaii Pacific College. I am not well-versed about Hawaii Pacific, but their website says that their most notable alumni is Benny Agbayani- former major league player (who?).   She didn't do so well there, took some time off and went to a 2 year college called Matanuska-Susitna College.  She then tried North Idaho College next, another 2 year open admission school located in the heart of the survivalist area of Idaho.  She managed to get back to the University of Idaho and finally graduated well after the normal 4-5 years that it usually takes.  Yes, she has been elected Governor of Alaska after a distinguished career in the converted convenience store that serves as the home of the Wasilla Alaska City Hall.  Competition is clearly not tough to become Governor of Alaska. 

 

You are the interviewer - you make the call.