Opinion:

Campaigning By Way

Of The Wallet

The Plan: To Buy A Vote

Not To Earn A Vote

by Johnny Gunn

The first half of Election 2008 is now in the books, a recorded history of our time, if you will.  We survived party caucuses with charges of unfairness on both sides, and a surprising turnout on both sides.  And now, the Primary Election has taken place.  It may not sound large, but the ten percent of registered democrats and republicans that turned out for January’s caucuses was considered large by those familiar with the process.  Those not registered within one of the major parties were left out in the cold.

As it turned out Nevada voters did not go with the flow.  Democrats chose Hillary Clinton as their presidential favorite while republicans picked Mitt Romney.  As we near the General Election, it will be Republican John McCain facing Democrat Barack Obama, and an all out knock down fight is sure to be waged through television advertising, which will leave the voter in the dark.

More emphasis should be placed on face to face debates, on discussion in public on what the issues are and how they are being addressed by the candidates.  When the fate of the country hinges on who can spend the most money and say the least about the issues, we as a freedom loving democracy lose.  One of these two men will lead the United States, and by proxy, the free world, and we will make our choice and decision based on a spending spree, not a reasoned debate.

The Primary Election in Nevada was centered on Nevada politics, not national, and in many cases, the campaigns will be hot and feisty as November approaches.  Congressional seats are all contested, and right now Republicans hold two out of three districts.  Democrats are putting many millions of dollars in this campaign, and again, we will be left in the dark as whether or not the candidates can express themselves outside a paid advertisement.

The legislative campaigns will turn on the state’s economy, there has been a $1 billion shortfall in the budget, state agencies are being forced to curtail their spending, and the debate will certainly involve taxes.  Many running as democrats would rather raise taxes, many running as republicans would rather reduce spending.  How either one of those ideas would be accomplished should be at the heart of the campaigns, but we can imagine that the television advertising will not mention this.

And at the local level, in all 17 counties, city council positions, county commission seats, and various boards and quasi governmental agency positions will be filled by way of the ballot.  These positions are responsible for more of your pay check than any other elected group, and for the most part, are elected and reelected by way of an electorate that has no idea who the representatives are.  It is taxes at the local level that take the most out of your pocket.  The money that flows into local elections by way of campaign donations usually will give a voter an eye opening education into local politics.

Candidates for every level of government would rather not be confronted by a fully educated and cognizant electorate, and campaigns are designed to put as much fluff out in the ether as possible rather than having to discuss issues and offer solutions.  Most of what is said during campaigns is simply rhetoric of little value, won’t be remembered for an hour, and rarely offers real solutions to problems.

Maybe we have just grown out of the concept that these people, politicians on the one hand, and representatives on the other, aren’t being put in office to represent us.  Representative Democracy, the Republic, our way of life, are on the line at the ballot box, and for the most part, a large percentage of the populace doesn’t give a damn.  It would be fun to have an old time political gathering at a park, listen to fiery speeches, hear the municipal band play some Souza marches and patriotic music, eat some fried chicken, boo the one guy, and cheer the other; actually force the candidate that wants your vote to say what he will do to get your vote, other than spend too much money on TV.

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Cartoon by Thomas Nast, April 12, 1874