Friday, September 12, 2008

Robert Ebert, I love you.

Not for inventing the two thumbs up system, but for saying to a broad audience what I've been thinking for the last 3 election cycles (feel free to substitute Bush for Palin, and President for Vice-President):

I think I might be able to explain some of Sarah Palin's appeal. She's the "American Idol" candidate. Consider. What defines an "American Idol" finalist? They're good-looking, work well on television, have a sunny personality, are fierce competitors, and so talented, why, they're darned near the real thing. There's a reason "American Idol" gets such high ratings. People identify with the contestants. They think, Hey, that could be me up there on that show!

My problem is, I don't want to be up there. I don't want a vice president who is darned near good enough. I want a vice president who is better, wiser, well-traveled, has met world leaders, who three months ago had an opinion on Iraq. Someone who doesn't repeat bald- faced lies about earmarks and the Bridge to Nowhere. Someone who doesn't appoint Alaskan politicians to "study" global warming, because, hello! It has been studied. The returns are convincing enough that John McCain and Barack Obama are darned near in agreement.

I try not to let my blood boil too much when it comes to politics in this country, because I've watched Steven do it twice, and I think it gave him high blood pressure and life rage. Because, hey, after 4 years of Bush, we elected him again! Because, when I was in India in October 2004, the family who was showing us around Mumbai had more information about and more critical analysis of the upcoming election than most Americans I had talked to in the preceding weeks. Because I know enough about marketing and advertising to see that intelligence, critical thinking skills, logic, diplomacy, or any other thing that might actually qualify you to make decisions about our multi-trillion dollar budget, the most powerful military in the world or regulating a consumer base that dictates economic patterns around the globe, has absolutely NOTHING to do with your ability to get elected in this country. Because, for all this talk, I know that most times, you're just choosing between two people who are equally unqualified to do the work of governance, and you just hope that they are good at hiring qualified people to work for them.

Honestly, I don't have a beef with Sarah Palin, anymore than I have a beef with any other Republican of her ilk. And I know it wasn't her choice, but I'm frankly kind of nauseated that the way they've decided to sell her is this "aw, shucks" hockey mom crap. The people I have a problem with is an electorate that thinks that the person who'll go shoot some hoops with you is a better choice than a policy wonk, that commercials and sound bytes are a legitimate source of information, that being well-educated, well-read and well-traveled is a reason NOT to vote for someone, rather than seemingly minimum basic requirements. The Republican Party is selling Sarah Palin the way they're selling her now for one simple reason: it works. It worked for the last two elections, and it's the tactic they've decided to use again this year.

This is just a rant about the state of politics today. There are no action items, other than, there are no angels and no devils; no one running this year or any other year will make magic happen, or ruin the world (though the Bush administration has certainly tried its darndest.) Stay informed, stay engaged. And demand more than sound bites.