586 more days of this bullshit?

Maybe I missed a memo or something, but why do we need a presidential campaign that lasts over two fucking years?

I'm politically active and politically involved. I care deeply about the political process and take my responsibilities and freedoms as a member of our Democracy very seriously . . . and even I am already sick to fucking death of this shit.

I believe that these outrageously long cycles are all about money, which is all about corporations and PACs, which leads me to believe that elections are more about perpetuating a Plutocracy than engaging the population in a dialog of ideas. I used to count down the days until November 4, 2008 because it would finally be the end of our long national Bush/Cheney/Neocon nightmare, but now I'm counting down because it will just mean the end of the whole stupid goddamn thing.

Some day, I fear we'll have election cycles that last 3 year and 364 days, and we'll long for those simple times when we only had to listen to this garbage for two years.

Comments

[Giladani]

Not only do the PACs make out but the 24 hour news media have ready-made stories rolling in hourly. Ooh, is McCain criticizing Romney on abortion? Will it push Paris Hilton's parents cutting to the front of the visitor line in jail to page 2? Who cares?

[beelkay]

As long as I can avoid political ads (I skip commercials on TV no matter what anyway), I'll be okay.

[Honus]

This is all about the primaries, which happen a bit sooner than Nov. But still too much for too long.

[b117sat]

I totally agree Wil and what drives me nuts is all the political commercials. It just makes me want to throw things at my TV. I wish Tivo had an option to screen out political commercials

[MaryMactavish]

I would prefer to have either no primary, with something like Australia's voting system, the "instant runoff," separately for president and vice president. For quite a few years, California had its governor and lieutenant governor from different tickets. It would be interesting (if perhaps impractical on a legislative level) to see the same thing happen in the executive branch of the federal government.

I try to ignore the campaigns, period, until within a month of the primary. Then I study each candidate and decide from there. My participation won't make or break the Right One for the Job before then.

[FlyoverSteve]

Wil,

I hate to nitpick, but since you have always been a stickler for details and getting it right, I just wanted to point out that we don't live in a Democracy, but rather, we live in a Representative Republic.

Just wanted to point that out. In a true Democracy, every Citizen (note capital 'C') would have a vote on every issue before the nation. Every Citizen. Every issue. Not real workable. Hence a Representative Republic.

Not that I disagree with your sentiment about the length of the election cycle at all, I'm just saying...

[Mad Monk]

Wil, repeat after me:

*calm blue ocean...calm blue ocean...calm blue ocean...*

[KaliAmanda]

I feel your pain! Personally, I am waiting for the day we institute a March Madness process -- brackets and all. Start with 64 candidates and start eliminating them until we reach the Final Four and nominate those for the major parties for the top 2 spots. Three weeks is all we need. But NOT in March, because I love the democratic process, but I am busy with hoops in late March to early April...

[Rich]

Actually too, it is the individual states and their political parties that have moved the meat of primaries further and further forward. Also the amount of money that campaigns have hoisted on themselves for balloons, TV ads, signs, web-sites, song contests, and Gulfstream V's, etc.

The money is not from PACs and corporations alone. It is from your former ilk in Hollywood who pony up for the 5,000 dollar a plate photo-ops. It is all a beast.

Did I mention how much better life has been without TV?

[Mambolica]

There's something to be said for how it's done in Canada (which is not to say we have a better political process, but at least our campaigns are short). Here, a term lasts 5 years maximum, but most prime ministers choose to call an election in the 4th year. We generally have a few months of political speculation, as in: could this be a hint that an election call is coming? Then, once the election is actually called, the parties/candidates have about a month in which to get it together and hit the campaign trail. That's it. Then we have one vote and that's it. No primaries, no long-winded campaigns.

[somecanuckchick]

Canada, thanks to a Bill was passed recently, will now suffer a fixed election date. That means, that the campaign trail will also be long and painful... more than when an election could/would/should be called on the fly... or for any number of valid reasons, i.e. NCM.

OTOH, a sense of stability is conveyed by the sticktuitive-ness of the term. Mark October 19, 2009 on your calendar...

*sigh*

[Joe]

Cheer up, bud. Look on the bright side of things.

Any one of those 586 days, is an opportunity for our resident village monkey to screw up and get impeached. I envision a 6% approval rating before this nightmare is over.

How about this one. Wouldn't it be a tickle if Cheney's lesbian daughter suddenly joins the Clinton camp?

Fun times...

[1BigBank]

See my coment on the UIGEA post.
Pretty much a universal comment if you ask me.
Oct. 19th 2009 eh?
So I can celebrate another year closer to the grave and, and the election of a new set of thieves on the same day?
WOOHOO O'Canada.

[cylite]

I think Alex Keyssar of the NY Times said it best,
"The two major parties are in the business of winning elections, rather than promoting democracy."

[madbadger2742]

Wil, what are you complaining about? I'm officially announcing my candidacy for president. In 2020. Vote Brock!

[Keith L. Dick]

I have to wonder if we should not just revolt and get rid of Politicians all together...

hehehe

[Becky..Absent Minded Housewife]

I think this time around that people are just that eager to see Dubya go...

That and there is just no shiny political star on either side. There has to be a lot of parading about like peacocks in heat before we pick one.

[johnspamnicht]

The Brits do this far better than us. The Prime Minister calls an election (or 5 years passes since the last election), and 56 days later, the election is held. No two year marathons.

[IanKen]

The primaries. What a load of shit those are. Same for the electoral college. Our system is retarded. I love explaining to the newbs how the guy who got the msot votes can loose. The answer: we're retards.

[Bog]

johnspamnicht, at the moment the head of the ruling party in the Uck is in the throes of being replaced - so for gh0d knows how long, we'll be bossed around by someone who *nobody* voted for, 'til the next general election. That sucks a fair bit.

Regarding the US political process - who the hell has the money to support a two-year-long campaign? Answer: Probably nobody you actually want to vote for. So, it's not really even representational democracy. Some golden-hearted True Statesman doesn't have a cat's chance in Hades of getting elected, simply because he can't get that kind of funding.

The way the campaign trail works is just rotten. The way advertising is part of it reminds me more of planning ECM attacks in Mechwarrior than it does any kind of political process.

*ponder* Who was it who said revolt? I'm tempted. First off, chuck all the lawyers out of DC, that'd be a good start...

[tjp]

As the ass kissing, un-keepalbe promises are made and the money campaining continues people are still being killed in war, and nothing is being done about it.
===========================
Number of Operations Iraq Freedom and Enduring Freedom casualties
as confirmed by U.S.
Central Command: 3881

Happy Flag Day!
www.pafundi.com

[Ruminator]

It's all due to having to get enough money to even run for office. It's insane.

[Miss Cellania]

Most people won't pay too much attention til 2008 anyway. And they are right not to, since so much will change before the "campaign season" is over. It's those who care the most who get burned out the soonest. Like you.

[Stoner]

Well in Hollywood the first rule of making movies is don't use your own money. In DC. the first rule is don't buy an election with your own money.

It takes a long time to raise the hundreds of millions it's going to take to win in 2008.

[Drev]

One of the best bumper stickers I've ever seen:
"It's not a Democracy. It's an Auction."