The Democratic and Republican primaries are in full force at this point. Words are starting to fly. Campaign staffers are looking to pull dirty tricks (I’m looking at you, Hillary), and battleground states are up for grabs. This is politics in America, and it makes me feel sort of queasy at times.
When I was in South Korea over the Christmas break, elections were going on in full force there too. At one point, when Eunice, her mom, and I went to the local department store, we came upon a crowded intersection filled with banners, political supporters, noise, and flyers. The sheer audio pollution was overwhelming. Supporters on opposite sides of the intersection were using bullhorns and PA systems to speak about the greatness of their candidate and lead in patriotic songs. In Korea, the system is quite a bit different - there were 10 candidates, and you just voted once for the one you liked. It really was chaotic, though one candidate (MK) came out on top, despite the fact that this was a candidate hit heavy just before the election by a scandal in which it was pretty apparent he was lying about some shady business deals.
I think the one thing that disillusions me most about political campaigns is the dishonesty. When asked what his greatness weakness was during a recent debate, Barack Obama answered truthfully - he has a cluttered desk. John Edwards and Hillary Clinton both rattled off dishonest answers that resembled the job interview scene from season 3 of the Office. When asked what his weaknesses are, Michael Scott answers - “I work too hard, and I care too much.” John Edwards cares too much, and Hillary is too impatient for change. Thanks for the goofy answers, folks.
On the Republican side, compassion is apparently a weakness, revealing how farther and farther into the extreme that party drifts. For example, Governor Huckabee suggested that the compassionate thing to do was allow children of illegal immigrants to get access to financial aid for college. Heck, it wasn’t their fault they are here in the US illegally. But for Republicans, such a show of compassion means being weak on immigration. Later, Huckabee backpedaled on this assertion, rather than stand up for what is right.
I guess what I am watching for in this election is honesty - candidates who stand up for what they believe and aren’t afraid to express it. Like many Americans, I’m tired of politics that is about pandering for votes and pulling some sort of centrist triangulation. I’m ready for change. I’m ready for honesty.
