Politics as usual???

Obama or Clinton, McCain or ??? those seem to be the big questions these days. None of them as an individual stand for everything that I would want in a candidate and when I weigh the various factors I come up with ties. Looks like this election still has a way to go in being settled in my mind and that thought is starting to bother me too.

As much as I hate politics, I really was looking forward to this year's elections locally and nationally. Even though it began WAY TO EARLY, I thought the presidential races got off to a good start. There were interesting debates and signs that the candidates were going to be more interactive with the public. But, as the races progressed, the candidates seem to be slipping back into the mode of doing what they have always done, and to me this is not a good thing.

Why do we need over-the-top campaign rhetoric? Why do we need so much mudslinging that a pair of hipwaders need to be handed out to the public like gas masks to soldiers? The debates got off to such a good start, I had high hopes that the candidates were actually going to follow through on the claims that this was simply a friendly competition between individuals with different views of how best to serve the interests of the American public.

Somewhere along the line, the cordial and friendly rivalry has been trumped by the desire to win. This desire to win has brough back the viciousness that has punctuated campaigns in previous year. Maybe I'm just older and paying more attention, but it seems like it has been ratcheted up a notch this time around. If thats the case where will rhetoric inflation get us in 4, 8, even 20 years? How is this serving the interests of the American people today? How does the hatemongering influence people to come out and vote. Maybe I should vote for the person who slings the least mud, but is that trading short term issues for long term issues?