Reflecting on the U.S. presidential race thus far, and looking ahead to the remainder of it, I'm struck by how little it has to do with real substance -- issues, character -- than it does with the self-importance of various interested players.
The debates have had less to do than with actually hashing out the important issues of the day than with advertising various media outlets and showing us the so-called journalists who want to be seen as "important." Yeah, that's you, Tim Russert. Yeah, that's you, Chris Matthews. Yeah, that's you, too, Wolf Blitzer. Ooh, look at CNN -- they're so hip and relevant because they're co-sponsoring debates with Facebook and YouTube! Look at me, America! I'm Iowa and I'm first, dammit, so notice me! Oh, yeah, Iowa? Well we're the first primary, so our election matters more cuz more people can actually vote, and we're first, dammit! Damn all you other Americans, you're not important, you don't really know who's best-qualified to be president like we do! Hey, look at us! We're the Democratic Party and so you better fall in line and "unite" behind a candidate before...before we melt and America falls apart. No, Democrats, we're the REAL Americans, us GOP, us Republicans, and so what we say "matters" more than anyone. And look, there's John McCain, he must be really serious cuz' he's so old and he's white and always so serious when he speaks. We don't really care what he actually says!
Then there's the posturing over that all-important veep slot. Cuz who's running for president doesn't matter! John McCain may a crazy old coot, running his mouth off about bombing Iran and staying in Iraq for a thousand years, but if he picks Bambi as his running mate -- aww, wouldn't that be a sweet ticket! I've totally changed my mind about him now! My, my, how we're so fooled. DICK Cheney (prounounced shuh-NAY) was supposed to lend "gravitas" to George W. Bush, and we all know what "gravitas" really means now in Republican circles -- more wars and more brown people getting bombed. After eight years of this douchebag running the country, maybe we should rethink how vp's used to be picked during the U.S.'s first 100 years: 2nd place finish for president. Hmm, that would mean a McCoot vice presidency. Stay strong and healthy, Hillary and Barack. All kidding aside, so what? Half the country would be satisfied and have a voice, no matter who wins. No, we say, we resign ourselves to remain a winner-take-all body politic where loud-mouthed minorities of people get to make up the rules, so oh well!
It all adds up to a bunch of noise, these CNN's, these Chris Matthewses, these Iowas and Nevadas and Facebooks and would-be vice presidents of the world who end up making their mark on the whole process (Finally I can be on Facebook and connect with everyone! Thanks, '08 election for making this possible! Iraq? Health Care? Vote? Whaaaa?) but ultimately leave us empty of knowledge. At least in the Ukraine people vote in droves and wear orange and it means something. In France they attach clothespins to their noses on their way to the polls while turning out right-wing nutjob Le Pen and that means something. In Spain they elect Zapatero president, a socialist (oh. NO! scary!), and within five months all their troops are out of Iraq, and if that doesn't mean something and tell us that maybe we should just stop playing these games and treat our democracy with a little more heft and a little more respect, I don't know what will mean anything.
No comments:
Post a Comment