Heavy helpings of plot twists, sex, intrigue and violence are what make an interesting movie, and the same seems to go for presidential elections. There are now 24 candidates for the 2012-2016 presidential term and the debates, scandals, infighting and conspiracies are starting to heat up. I have to admit, it’s becoming somewhat of a guilty pleasure to just sit back and watch.
Lately the candidate who has received the most attention is Herman Cain of Georgia, who is up to his rimless spectacles in an alleged sexual harassment scandal. Four women have claimed to be inappropriately touched or spoken to by Cain, and Cain has denied the allegations. Of course, the media has latched onto this because the public loves scandal. I find it intriguing, somewhat, but the coverage of this whole affair is a massive waste of time.
Do you know who else is running for the office of President? Or are you so busy watching Cain squirm on the television, that you’ve forgotten that there are 23 other people looking to get the most powerful position in the world? Snap yourself out of this mess because the elections will be here sooner than you expect, and the only person whose name you will recognize on the ballet is that guy whom allegedly groped four women. It’s ok to enjoy the show, just be willing to look past all of the smoke and mirrors and see what’s really going on.
If you actually care who will be the President of the United States, there’s a list with pictures, bios and platforms at www.2012.presidential-candidates.org. Do your research and make the choice that you feel is best; that’s what democracy is all about, isn’t it?
That being said, voters should recognize the high school popularity contest that the government has become. The finger-pointing going on between Republicans and Democrats became vastly apparent during the debt ceiling “crisis” a few months back and has since then de-evolved into a crisis of its own. The situation has become so chaotic, and politicians so self-serving, that there are several candidates running for each party. This is at its worst with the Republicans, who have 16 candidates in the race. Can there be no solidarity? Are the opinions of every one of these candidates so different that they all have to run? By the way, the other three parties, Democrats, Libertarians and Independents, only have two candidates each. No words can describe exactly what Washington has become; suffice to say a complex and chaotic bureaucracy.
However, even with all of this chaos, you should still vote. No, you MUST vote. It is tempting to take one look at this madhouse and say “screw it, I have more important things to do than be bothered with