Why Bother?

In response to this post, about the early 2008 presidential "debates," an astute friend said:

"I have a hard time watching debates. It all seems like so much lip service marketing."

I started responding in the comments section to that post and realized I had today's post:

No need to watch the debates now. Only the geekiest of politics wonks are paying close attention 18 months before the damn election.

We sell candidates the way we sell soap and cereal in America these days.

That makes it hard, and tedious, to follow.

But you gotta find some way to follow the broad outlines of the debate, at least at some level.

I put up the links to the specific candidate's web sites for a reason in my "Debates" post. I chose one wing-nut Repub, one beguiling but certifiably loony Dem, and four mainstream candidates, 2 from each party.

Then I added my favorite. Because it's my blog.

Check out the web sites.

Don't bother to read all the text, just take note of what topics they seem to be most concerned about.

If anyone actually is talking about something you're interested in, that tells ya something.

(If not, that tells ya something, too.)

Voter participation is at an all-time low, and it's precisely because the current system turns off a large segment of the population.

If we let it stay that way, we get the government we deserve.

Gandhi was right: "We must become the change we want to see."

Or, as the late, great Charles Schultz once had Lucy announce, in a voter registration guide cartoon, "If You Don't Vote, Don't Grouse."

Many thanks to Churlita for inspiring this post.