Aren't you sick of all the Election 2008 speculation? And the horror of it all is that the networks have the same in store till after the election. Doesn't the mere idea just make you cringe?
I can't turn on the TV without finding some reporters talking about the first tier and second tier candidates. Who cares?
The Republicans and Democrats are like Peter Pan's lost boys. They refuse to grow up and quit acting like spoiled children on a playground fighting over a swing. Their antics may entertain the first few times-which happened how many decades ago?-but afterwards they annoy. I can't help, but roll my eyes whenever I hear of the latest Republican/Democrat division.
Why can't we have an independent for president? Wouldn't that shake things up in Washington? Who knows? Maybe an independent would actually be able to keep some of his/her campaign promises.
But all the speculation so far is about the plain vanilla Democrats and Republicans. Who will be the Democratic presidential candidate? The Republican presidential candidate?
Will the "anything but another Bush party" vote straight-ticket Democrat, without thinking about the candidate they're selecting?
Am I the only one who finds all the proposed candidates uninspiring? Where's the JFK whose message resonated with America's youth? Where's the Lincoln filled with passion for his cause?
Why are most of today's candidates so drearily dull? If sixty is the new forty, they why do all the candidates act so old (as in eighty)? I mean come on, show some energy people. Don't just make boring speeches that look better on paper then coming out of your mouths. For some reason Bush's "Is our children learning?" has replaced Kennedy's "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." Isn't it just tragic?
Is it too much to ask for a president that I can point to on the TV screen and proudly say, "I voted for that one?"
The Washington scandals (over presidential behavior, the war, etc.) seem to have overshadowed the role of the president. Yes, he's the leader of the armed forces, and he can order them into battle, but he needs Congressional approval to declare war. He's America's chief diplomat, but the Senate must ratify all treaties he negotiates before America can be held liable as a signatory. He can veto bills, but he can't stop a Congress united (with at least a 2/3 majority) in its desire to see a bill passed into law. He can propose bills, but a Congressman must actually be willing to take the idea to Congress. He's the boss of every government worker (from the CIA to the EPA), and he nominates people for high positions, such as justices of the Supreme Court, but Congress approves his nominees. He even prepares the federal budget. But his most important role is that of symbol.
A president is supposed to represent us. I'm not saying that a president has to share our every belief because hoping for such a thing is pointless-there are just too many opposing opinions out there. I mean a president should put the public good-which I define as that which lets us, the American public, have what we want (life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness)-before his own personal greed, even if it means losing the next election. Popularity ain't everything, folks. Although it can't hurt.
The long run view, not the short run should dominate a president's thinking. He shouldn't enter wars that he can't win in the long run. He should think before he alienates allies. And he should seriously consider the possible and probable consequences of his actions. The big picture should stay glued in his mind.
Think FDR. The man took over the presidency just when the country needed him most, and he did a memorable job. FDR inspired people to survive the hard times. Why can't we have another inspirational president? And don't you think we deserve one?
I think that the reason we keep getting stuck with the same old stuff is because the system is designed in such a way that only Washington insiders (those with what the news anchors call "street cred") and state governors have a chance of winning the nomination. Fresh new voices don't seem to have a chance, except in rare cases.
But I think we do want something different. Movies like Dave and Man of the Year don't become successful for no reason. I think we want an energetic, inspiring president who has new ideas and an open mind. The world is changing. If we dig in and try to keep things as they are, we'll be left behind. So we need a more democratic means of selecting our greatest symbol.
I suggest a reality show, Who Wants to be the American President? Imagine something like Miss America meets The Apprentice. The man on the street would have the option of trying out, and a panel of political consultants would select the contestants-with the interviews streaming on the show's website, so nobody could accuse them of working behind closed doors.
Then the fun would really begin. We'd watch as the contestants tried to demonstrate their leadership ability, their knowledge of the issues, and their diplomatic skills. There would be a number we could call to vote for our favorites at the end of each episode. Think American Idol. (Just to nip a possible criticism in the bud, I'd like to state that the voting scandals surrounding American Idol are no worse than the voting scandals surrounding the last two presidential elections.) At the end of the season, one candidate would stand tall as the show's winner, and the second runner-up would take the place of vice presidential candidate.
I for one would watch this show. Just imagine how entertaining it would be. I don't think anyone would make the candidates eat worms, but they would have to jump through hoops and prove themselves. We'd actually get to know them, not just their party line.
And those viewers who forgot most everything they learned about American government in school would get a nice refresher course. Who knows? This may even increase the proportion of eligible voters who go out and vote.
This show would help fund the winning ticket's political campaign, and provide them (presidential candidate and vice presidential candidate) with the political consultants, speech writers, etc. they would need. These two would travel across America campaigning for office, just like the Democratic and Republican candidates. A good campaign would get their names on the ballot's of most of the states. Then they would truly stand a chance against the establishment candidates. The rest would be up to the average American voter.
If the show's winning ticket actually won, they wouldn't owe their office to political favors, but to the American public. Of course this would mean the president would be able to nominate people for high positions based on merit, not bribery-Oops. I mean connections. Why his/her Cabinet may actually consist of Democrats and Republicans who're experts in their fields.
If the president and the vice president happened to have different leanings (one Democratic and one Republican), the willingness to listen with an open mind, and the ability to compromise, think of what they would be able to accomplish. One could work on the Democrats while the other talked to the Republicans, and things would actually get done in Washington. What a dream!