We have seen a seemingly endless series of “debates” among presidential contenders on both sides. These are not, of course, debates by any stretch of the imagination: they are directed press conferences run by the media and focusing on the contenders they wish to have the most coverage.
And, most importantly, they don’t bring up issues which really have to be addressed, given the hideous performance of the current administration and many of the past administrations.
- When will the candidates discuss an end to secrecy? The hiding of information from Congress, the hiding of information from the people, the secret participation of lobbyists in drafting legislation… all this and more has yet to be discussed in depth.
- When will honesty about the oil industry basis for our participation in the middle east become a priority discussion topic? Oh, we hear an occasional jab at Halliburton and other corporations here and there. But when will we hear a candidate admit that he (or she) will address the disaster the oil industry has brought us to?
- When will we hear candidates discuss what we have lost in the past 25 years or so? It is time to directly address the devastation of all the gains made in the New Deal, which brought us three decades of profitable middle-class America, brought on by the Reagan Administration and those following. The majority of Americans need to get back into the driver’s seat.
Until we get into subjects like these and away from the staged personality conflicts the media feels necessary for viewership, we might as well turn the TV off and read a good book.