Friday, October 19, 2012

Debates and Elections

Do debate winners make good Presidents?

I wonder.

Do we even know who really won the debates? I have read leading writers claim that both of the leading candidates won the most recent debate.

Perhaps it is considered a win if no one clearly loses. In my book though, it is a tie.

So I am left wondering--do good debaters make good Presidents?

History might say no.

Winning a debate alone is not a good indicator of Presidential characteristics. That written, in the classic sense, the Presidential Debates really aren't debates at all--but more like a free-for-all discussion of the hot button issues designed to sway voters.

Even the facts presented during the proceedings, aren't.

The plans presented to accomplish this or that, really aren't. Presidents don't propose bills--Congress does.

How will the future President work with a hostile Congress to get the business of the country accomplished? That is really the true question that needs to be answered during a debate. And recent history shows that even a Congress controlled by the same political party as the President, may be hostile!

Bi-partisianship! I would love to hear that word spoken more. I would desire that our elected officials put aside their personal goals and focus on running the country--together and not over the cold, dead bodies of their opponents. Partisan politics is out of control and it is fueled by special interest groups which have a singular focus with no respect for the larger issues.

Whomever I vote for in a couple weeks is going to need to show me that they have a vision for America which is both inclusive and bipartisan.

Oops! I don't think that candidate is running.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

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