May 21, 2012
The latest degeneration
By Bill Kraus
The mostly shameful Republican primary is behind us.
Unfortunately it has left a trail of personalization of political campaigns that shows no signs of going away.
The high-tempo partisans have always advocated smash mouth campaigns. When their favorites lose, they attribute the loss to what in a normal world would be regarded as reasonableness.
The reigning wisdom is attack, attack, attack.
This tells us something about those who are shaping campaigns these days and what those shapers think of the discernment of those whose votes they seek.
Within the last week yet another idiot billionaire announced a plan for a guilt-by-association campaign to prove that Obama is joined at the hip to a long since discredited rabid preacher.
The Republican hyper partisans are no doubt lamenting the Romney campaign’s distancing their candidate from the idea and the billionaire.
In the same paper Vice President Joe Biden mounted an attack on Romney’s business history. The assumption is that Joe doesn’t know how that high risk business works or that the voters don’t.
The 14 Dems who went to Rockford on a quorum trick journey may never recover. This perhaps uncalled for expedition has been elevated to treasonous levels in this demonization era.
In Wisconsin the gubernatorial candidates are squabbling about who is using the most deceptive numbers about jobs in Milwaukee and Wisconsin.
Recall campaigns by their nature are attack driven. They are rehashes of what are regarded by one side or the other of past mistakes and votes.
Anyone looking for ideas about dealing with any of the confounding problems confronting us is not likely to find them in the stump speeches, the literature, or, most certainly, the TV ads of most current campaigns.
Most of the campaign spending driven by the reigning wisdom is devoted to characterizing opponents in the most unflattering and repelling terms available.
I understand that politics isn’t bean bag but it needn’t be WWIII either, where the voter’s choice devolves to the least bad. This is no way to pick leaders.
post a letter about this blog »
I beg to differ with the idea that you won't find ideas in the stump speeches of the current crop of candidates. Saturday at Fighting Bob North I was witness to what is absolutely needed in politics today: Vision. Determination. Morals made real. Can Do. Positivism at its absolute best.
I write of the speech of Mahlon Mitchell.
If everyone in the Democratic Party had that level of commitment, that level of laser vision, that level of pure Baptist Preacher, this would be a much, much better place.
-Randy Lee | Ridgeland, WI | May 21, 2012
I know I'm repeating myself, but, no TV or radio ads for 60 days prior to an election.
-blurondo | Wauwatosa, WI | May 21, 2012
I would suggest one person, one vote. Not a million bucks, a million votes.
-Pietr Haikuu | Hurley, WI | May 21, 2012
current
--------
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004
September 2004
August 2004
July 2004
June 2004
May 2004
April 2004
March 2004