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Sept 25, 2002 Ah, Yes. As we near the end of September, we near ever closer to the scary time of the year. It has already begun, and will only intensify as we wind our way through October. Alas, by the time it comes, we are wishing it had been here and gone. Our ears will feel as though they could fall off and we are sick and tired of seeing the same monsters over and over again. We grow weary of listening to the moaning and groaning and whining about fair and unfair. Yes, that scary season is here, and when all is said and done, some of the monsters end up happy while others will lament that it was a brutal day in our country. That horror known as Election Day. I, for one always enjoy the end of the stupidity and circus that running for any office has become. I believe P.T. Barnum would have a heyday with the astronomical joke that the politicians refer to as campaigning. Stay with me and hear me out now. I absolutely love the fact that we can elect who we would like to represent us in the various offices of our great country. It is the nonstop mudslinging and digging for your opponents’ skeletons that burns me every time. There are so many things I find wrong with the way campaigns are run today that were I to list them all, I would still be writing for the next month and this would have become a novel instead of a column. I would like to make a few points that you can mull over and leave you wondering whether I am insane or not. I refuse to vote for those that must find something wrong with their opponent to try and gain office. Many times I do not vote for an office because both parties (and more) have done just that. What happened to the good old days when you used to tell what you wished to accomplish if elected, not what others did wrong in their past? This does not include an incumbents voting record because that is public record anyway. The next thing bothers me almost as much, and that is the money that is donated and spent on campaigning. Let’s take most of that money and use it to help the poor and needy in our country to get a better life. When people with a lot of money give to these campaigns, one would have to be awful naïve to think that there was no ulterior motive behind it. Many companies will back a nominee because of their standing on an issue (even if it causes others harm), so that they may continue to do what they want and keep the money rolling in. I suggest that rather than waste all this money, let’s just set up two or three debates and televise them so they don’t need to spend money traveling and people can still get their position on issues. Alas, I am running out of room and time right now to harp on much more, but I would like to raise another concern of mine. I believe that straight line (party) voting has got to be one of the most ridiculous ideas I have ever heard of. I am an independent because I will vote for whoever shares my ideas and values. I could never vote for anyone just because they were in my “party”. Here is where many of you will want to shoot me or take me to the funny farm. I suggest getting rid of “parties” and people just run on their own platforms and ideals. As my neighbor Ralph would say, “Careful of the crowd ya follow, lessen they turn out to be lemmings.” ------------ Willis Kirk Jr. is a 37 year old who is currently back in a 2 year college on his way to a degree. Email Willis: tekky2b@yahoo.com Comment on this column in the forum. ------------ |
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