My wife and I are sitting here, watching the US VP debates (I'm watching the Canadian slug fest on the late showing. Thank Jebus for digital!) and we are amazed by the emptiness of Sarah Palin's responses (also, she keeps winking into the camera. I think she's flirting with me, but I digress). She appears so overly coached that I almost expect to hear instructions being shouted from the galleys. My wife made a crack that we should turn this debate into a drinking game, downing a shot of Tequila every time Palin says "Maverick". Needless to say we'd both be shitfaced 45 minutes in.
Is this now what passes for American political debate? Contemptuous smiles, feigned compliments through gritted teeth and an endless stream of projectile vomited platitudes? Say what you will about the bland, uninspiring nature of Canada's political leaders but when they debate, they draw blood. In fact, i just tuned in now to the Leaders Debate (Palin just followed up a "you betcha" with yet another maverick comment so it was either change the channel or cut up another lemon) and gosh darnit if they aren't all sitting around a table, cheek to jowl, jabbing fingers at one another and calling each other out. Awesome.
Getting back to the Americans, why do your leaders talk to you like your 7 years old? Grow some balls for christ's sake! Now before you get all indignant and shit, just give it a bit of thought. If you watch the American debates and catch their ridiculous ads on TV then there is really only two conclusions you can arrive at: Americans are idiots, or their leaders think they are. Not that one needs to understand Chaos Theory or read Sanskrit to fully absorb the messages of Canadian political ads but they are far less pandering or overtly rhetorical.
Of course, for the true believers the debates are basically preaching to the converted so the real question is how do the undecideds grade the combatants? There are certain hot button issues (see "irrelevant") such as abortion or gay marriage that have vastly polarized opinions but there are quite a few hairs to be split on the economy and foreign policy. do the ignorant masses who love Jesus but hate queers (yet fail to see their hypocracy) really understand the intricacies of the sub prime mortgage crises or even know where on a map Islamabad, Tehran or Darfur is? What are the undecideds so damn, well, undecided about?
As some of you may have figured out by now, I'm a bit of a Hobbesian in my opinions of the general voting public. I just don't think that a vast number of voters have the requisite understanding of the legitimate issues of our day. If you have a firm grasp of economic and foreign policy concepts and truly believe that privatization, deregulated markets and war before diplomacy is the answer (although I whole heartedly disagree with you) then I can at least respect your opinion as being one of careful, analytical thought. Unfortunately, i just don't think there are many voters out there who comprehend these issues nor care about anything beyond their day care credit or support our troops bumper sticker.
Well readers, I know its a bit of an abrupt end (and a bit too meandering for a 5-6 paragraph blog) but its late so I'm signing off. I'm sure I'll revisit this at a later date but until next time... stay cynical!
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