To the editor:
The political conventions, where hyperbole, over generalization, and phony dramatism reign and specific detailed policy or action intentions, concrete choice making, and ways to pay for campaign promises are as scarce as hen’s teeth, are over. But their residues: naïve and optimistic voter hopes and expectations still linger and other more cynical members of the electorate doubts any of the convention bluster will transform into reality. What can candidates do to encourage voter belief in them? For starters, presidential candidates can stop promising to deliver on legislative prerogatives. Tax issues are Congress’s province as stated in the Constitution; Presidents can try to influence such action, but they cannot enact tax law. With our economy the way it is, candidates lose credibility when they propose new or expanded program without showing clear and believable ways of paying for it without adding to the national debt and the budget deficit. Political candidates appear like little children when they resort to name calling and attacking opponents’ character rather than their ideas and actions.
Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates need to be able and willing to answer questions of the types listed below I some detail in order to be thought of as ready to assume thee high offices:
• What, specifically can you do to improve the status of the U.S. in the minds of world leaders?;
• How can the government alter the steady rising unemployment increases we have experienced in recent months?;
• What can be done to stabilize the U.S. dollar in world money markets?;
• How can military personnel be relieved from 3-4 overseas deployments without reasonable home periods between such deployments?;
• How can all veterans be assured of prompt, complete medical care?;
• What can be done to assure no one is left without medical health insurance/care?; and
• What plans do you have for improving the nation’s infrastructure (ie: bridges, tunnels, electric grid, airports, and roads)?
Candidates with no or poor answers are unfit to lead the nation. We cannot continue to muddle through. We need genuine leadership. True leaders act, not always correctly, but they moved forward recognizing errors and changing them ready to move forward again. Muddlers wait for others to act, complain about what others do or fail to do while not acting themselves.
Presque Isle