I missed the debate.

I have to admit, I missed the first Republican debate, both of them.  I missed the mealy mouthed pundit’s bloviating and pontificating over the what, and the why, of whom and when, hoping to see the blood spilt like spectators over a gladiatorial arena.  To be truthful, I’m not sorry I missed it.

Does it really matter (not in the Hillary sense) who won the debate?  Has our political system soured so much that we are blinded and star struck by those on a stage and can only make a determination based upon a candidate’s media aptitude?  

I guess you could ask Richard Nixon.  He lost based on looks alone and some honest political corruption.

You may be asking, how else do we know, how else can we choose if we cannot hear or see the candidate’s debate?  When a debate is so generalized and media focused, the issues only get muddled in the stereotypical attempts to outshine the others, creating a void for them all.

I’m not sure I have an answer to the above but what I do know is, I’m tired of “politics as usual” and want something more substantive, more real and down to earth.  I want a system that ensures honesty and integrity, so regardless of who wins, we at least know he or she is honest and is working for us.  I guess, in my feeble mind, I want someone like me.

The problem with today’s politics is the money.  It literally takes billions to be elected president.  There are a variety of views about the actual cost of the 2012 elections, with estimates as low as 2 billion (yes with a B), to as high as 8.5 billion dollars.  However you wish to look at it, I think we can all agree that running for any national office cost’s way too much money.

It just seems excessive when we have water pipes bursting, electrical transfer boxes blowing up, roads and bridges in disrepair, border problems, educational issues,  wars and rumors of wars, etc….etc…etc…

If we take the median of 8.5 billion and 2 billion, we get 5.25 billion dollars.  Don’t write me back and tell me my math is wrong or that the numbers are incorrect, I’m making a point here.  There are close to 322 million people in the country that depend on good roads to get to work, school and other important activities.  We all depend on how the systems work, how water flows and how our power is supplied.  We all depend on government to do what it’s supposed to do.  I’m tired of the debate that only let’s me see the chrome covered perfection of a candidate.  I don’t care about the imperfections and the mistakes as long as I can also see a pattern of learning and growing, just like me.

The Pre-Amble of the Constitution reads: We the People⁽¹⁾ of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare⁽²⁾, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

The whole idea of the constitution was to form a more Perfect Union, insure domestic tranquility, (when I hit a pot hole in a major road going to work, I’m not tranquil), and to promote the general welfare, which to me means having the basics that every society needs in order to flourish and grow, like good roads, consistent power and dependable and reliable leadership.  Not a government that makes my life worse or more difficult. 

Case in point:  I had to switch insurance.  The new insurance does not cover a specific medication I’ve been taking for over ten years.  Just out of the blue some bureaucrat decides that I don’t need it.  My doctor thinks I do, I think I do but because of the profit only motive of insurance, (and every other major industry and corporation) I have been told I don’t matter.

So when I miss a debate with scores of candidates vying for my favor I think that perhaps I’ll wait, just a bit, to see if any of them are really concerned about me.  Which of the candidates is willing to serve? Which will at least try to act like the Statesmen their supposed to be; instead of the poster child for the profit only companies and governments?

Don’t misunderstand, I am a capitalist and I like the profit motive but I prefer an honest profit for a good product.  Take away the integrity of business and all you have left is money.  

So in the next debate why not expect real answers to real questions that affect us all.  Like New York City was under Mayor Giuliani, he fixed and concentrated on the little things and the big things took care of themselves.  Fix the little things.  Fix my roads; make sure the water pipes are not 100 years old. Most importantly just stay out of my way so I can get to where I’m going. I know where I want to go.  I’m important and so are all of you and it’s time that our leaders understood that.