It's Utter Madness

The madness has ensued and I don’t know if we can pull our way back to the surface. On one hand you have the current administration which has made a total mockery of our Executive Branch of government. On the other hand you have an election process that is either the most entertaining or most frustrating we have known, depending on your point of view. Today we face more challenges than ever and we see it didn’t take a genius to get us into this quagmire. The next president needs better than average intelligence and a large shovel because the barn is full.

One wonders what it will actually take to dig us out. History, in my opinion, has shown that the Democrats have generally done a better job of digging us out of a financial disaster such as the one we now face. Republicans have generally done better in getting us through a war even though history dictates they usually get us into war. Nobody can argue that President Regan was a key factor in bringing down the threat of Communism. But President Bush has taken us into near depression and denied the decline of the economy every step of the way. Unfortunately for my Republican friends they had a captain equivalent to the Exxon Valdez at the helm this time and we’ve run aground.

When this venture to the next election started I began the trek with extreme enthusiasm knowing well that I was voting Democratic this round. Unfortunately for John McCain it would take a total mental collapse on my behalf for me to vote Republican after the fiasco of the past eight years. However, a third party candidate would look awfully nice right now. It’s just a little too late and, for my part, I am rallying for a Democratic President.

With my foundation securely in place I can now critique the candidate selection from which I will vote in November. I can only begin my evaluation by declaring the road we have taken as total madness. Just as the Republicans are nothing resembling conservative I am beginning to wonder what has happened to my Democratic friends. Super delegates seem to be some type of mechanism to forego the Democratic process. But I will save that critique for later.

Today we have two candidates that have bitterly nitpicked at each other such that every wound is exposed. A friend of mine feels it will make the final candidate stronger in the fall as all possible negativism will be out in the open before the Republicans begin their major offensive. It is a well founded thought, but I find the flaw in estimating the patience of the average American. After four years of President Bush I am not sure we can take any more negative influx. As such I must proclaim, “Enough already.” It is hard to imagine a job as valuable to expend one’s reputation with excessive risk.

So far candidates have misled, stretched the truth, and bickered to damaging levels rather than build unity among a party that has so much to repair in our country. Knowingly claiming heroism that never existed and counting votes that were not part of the contest both shame the Clinton legacy. Bill left office with little mud beyond a straight sexual affair that should never have become public fodder. Monica Lewinsky was a consenting adult female, something a little different than we have seen from some of our Congressmen. We can only hope Hillary doesn’t bring down the historical love the Democrats hold for President Clinton. Barack Obama’s hands are slightly cleaner but there is some guilt to be worn.

You ask if I have a solution. For this election little can be done because Pandora’s Box opened long ago. My advice to the candidates includes forgetting Florida and Michigan. A decision to forego those states was made and little can be reasonably done to restore the democratic process in those states. Those strange entities known as super delegates will need to be extremely careful to watch what the people really want. A super delegate only defeats democracy, so why are they in the Democratic Party?

My suggestions for the future are related to the problems we are seeing. Rid the Democratic Party of super delegates. They only serve to subjugate the democratic process and are reminiscent of a feudal system where aristocracy overrules the common man. Tell the states that all primaries will be held on a single day. They can participate or forego their participation in the Democratic Party. I imagine the party thought a stretched out primary system would expose the winning candidate, giving them endless victories to look like a sure bet. The opposite has happened. Decide the candidate on a single day, early in the process, so time can be spent on addressing the issues that show an advantage over the opponents in the main election.

It is truly a distressing time for the Democrats. Hopefully they will overcome what has become a media circus. Even better, maybe I am wrong and the extended battle is helping people understand the Democratic Party and strengthening their ability to solve our nations’ woes. The frenzy they have caused and the misdeeds performed are nowhere near the level of lies and deceit dealt to the American public by the current administration over the past eight years. Therefore, no matter which Democratic candidate becomes the nominee, they will get my vote. May God bless America and get us out of this enormous mess inherited from years of incompetence and mismanagement.

© 2008 Mark A. Daily