In politics these days substance seems to be about as rare as hen’s teeth, which any country boy can tell you are nonexistent. The dictionary defines substance as
substantial or solid character or quality.
Most political campaigns these days have little solid character but instead focus more on entertainment value and the physical presence of the individual candidate. Why have we come to this state of affairs?
In my mind the problem originates in the media of the day. We are blasted day by weary day with sound bite announcements that foster a short attention span but are designed to attract attention nonetheless. We are taught to expect simple explanations of complex issues. We have a nation filled with philosophers, historians, teachers, and others who have the knowledge and the background to ask questions of real substance of our political leaders. Why are they not in the forefront of questioning today? Is America so lost to the "feel good" and "don’t worry" syndromes that we are afraid to confront our leaders?
Judging the ability of one’s potential leaders on the basis of cosmetics is a useless endeavor. We need to know how those future leaders think and what drives their lives. We need to know our future is in the hands of people at all levels who are able to think for themselves and to reason in the face of tough situations. Until we drop this media oriented approach and begin to look for real substance I fear we will see none of the changes the nation stands to need today let alone in the future.
Our nation today faces some of the greatest challenges ever in world history. We stand at a crossroads. We must make choices affecting our children and their children for generations to come. Today we have real hope of a better tomorrow. We will recognize our full potential if we act to elect politicians at every level who share our hopes and dreams. We must understand who those politicians are inside the shallow exterior if we are to make fine choices.
The time has come for government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Our nation has a history of surviving hard times as well as enjoying good times. We are a resilient nation of diverse human beings. Together we as a nation are the best in the world, but we must work together. We are all in this political, geographical, and societal stew together. We maintain our individual characteristics and yet we share a basic sameness in our humanity.
The future is in all our hands, fellow citizens. There are definitive choices to be made today. We, the voters, will determine the future. I, for one, trust you will choose wisely in following your heart to support the person you feel most likely to bring a future of well being to our world. If we can get some movement toward substantive debate and question and answer sessions that allow us to determine the exact nature of our choices, our choices will be so much more easily made as we are able to make informed decisions.
I say bring on those historians and social scientists and natural science experts. Let them ask real questions and let the media report the answers. Let us see an end to the fluff and fun of what passes for interviews today. Let us hear questions and answers of real substance for a change. That is one change I support with every fiber of my being. How about you?
Reminder for one and all. I am running for Congress, DE-01. Please check out the website or the ActBlue page and support the effort. Your help is needed for the effort to succeed and is most deeply appreciated.