Our Political Campaigns Are An Assault On Reason

[RestoreGore]

Quote from the award winning best selling book by Nobel Laureate Al Gore, The Assault On Reason:

Introduction, page 8:

"The inherent value or validity of political propositions put forward by candidates for office is now largely irrelevant compared with the image-based advertising campaigns they use to shape the perceptions of voters. And the high cost of these commercials has radically increased the role of money in American politics- and the influence of those who contribute it. That is why campaign finance reform, however well drafted, often misses the main point: so long as the dominant means of engaging in political dialogue is through purchasing expensive television advertising, money will continue in one way or another to dominate American politics. As a result, ideas will continue to play a diminshed role."

Skip to page 9:

"To the extent that money and the clever use of electronic mass media could be used to manipulate the outcome of elections, the role of reason began to diminish."

End of excerpts.

And make no mistake about it, both parties still do this and Americans who claim that money is the main reason for the ills of politics still perpetuate and defend it. Candidates as well seem to fall into the trap of thinking that it is only money, hype, charisma, a nice suit, white teeth, glossy speeches, and you tube videos with girls shaking their breasts and their bums that is all that is needed to mesmerize enough Americans to win them the prize.

And people wonder why Al Gore has not endorsed anyone in this process? It is no different in this election cycle, and the main Democratic and Republican candidates are all perpetuating it. They are placing the amount of dollars first in importance when it really should have little to no bearing at all.

That was one of the reasons I was drawn to John Edwards besides his stances on poverty and climate change. He did not do it. He made a conscious choice to stand up to it. He did not have celebrity endorsers who used their clout to raise millions of dollars on these ads (that tell us nothing about the candidates) that could be used for other more important endeavors. He federally matched his funds, and he used them to get a message out...a message that needs to continue to be heard... That Americans on the whole are hurting. That we are in need of change, but not change disguised as such brought upon by the same status quo means.

I am very disappointed that Mr. Edwards is no longer involved in this election because the media and other "entities" skewed the perception of voters in this same way by using their money to make people think he could not compete because the corporate media didn't cover him, or because he didn't have the right amount of money to continue on rather than standing with him to fight against it.

As an American I am sick and tired of seeing hype, "Obama girls," and bickering over who has the most money in lieu of who has the best ideas, because in such a system voices that should be heard are not heard and that is not only unDemocratic, it is disenfranchisement.

Some will simply say that this is the way it is and until we have "campaign finance reform" that will be the way of it. I say, wrong. It will be that way as long as voters and candidates WANT it to be that way. And as long as it is that way, we will continue to have election processes where good people are pushed out to make way for the media darlings and the millionaires. And that surely is an assault on reason.

[pamela]

1. K&R

I think this election season has an almost surreal quality to it. I can't even articulate what I mean by that but it has been a very pervasive feeling for me throughout this process. Your post says a lot about what I've been feeling. Thank you.

[RestoreGore]

2. You're welcome. And I suppose by the lack of responses and discussion it hit a nerve with some

Those who say they hate the tactics of the corporate media but eat up their love affair with their candidate, as Obama and Clinton will now fight over why she should or should not make her tax returns public. MONEY MONEY MONEY MONEY. As if that will move any debate of substance regarding this country in any direction forward. As if that will help solve the cliamte crisis, or move us closer to addressing poverty, or peace, or social justice. I think then that those who claim to have read Mr. Gore's book really didn't do so. Or they just lavished praise on it at the time thinking he was running in their "system"... more political maneuvering. It is truly bad enough to think that on the whole politicians and candidates are more interested in their egos and their wallets than the people in the longrun... but to then see that the people on the whole are generally the ones who are accepting this unsubstantive crap as more important as well... It is no wonder this process is so toxic. Thanks for your reply. At least there are some here who aren't afraid to see reality. Only the people can fix this broken system, but it would seem a great majority of them appear to not really want to do so as much as they say they do.

[AndyA]

3. This is what I think of every time I see a post about

"so and so has collected $X million in the last hour!" or "Gobama!" or any of the disgusting little icons people have created for the sig lines.

These people are excited that their candidate has done so well earning money, but they are totally missing the point. Money does not equate to ability, the desire to guide this country in the proper direction, to return fairness to all, etc.

The ability to collect money is the sole standard used.

Forget that one candidate voted for the war.

Forget that BOTH candidates have voted almost every time to continue funding the war.

Forget that BOTH candidates have a far from progressive voting record.

Forget that BOTH candidates have many credibility issues.

We are certainly expected to overlook a lot of things.

Americans are so infatuated with making history they fail to see that in the big picture, both candidates are second rate. Both fall far short of what we really need to guide the country in a new direction and put it on a course to make it a truly shining example of democracy, freedom, and equality for all.

I'm reminded of another time in history where people were fooled into thinking their government was something wonderful. And history has proven that not only were they very wrong, it became one of the most despairing times in the history of the world.

I'm tired of second best. I'm tired of money determining who is and who is not fit to serve their country. And I find it disgusting, disturbing, and sobering that so many take such glee in the obscene amounts of money being spent on campaigns this year.

Talk about priorities being screwed up!

People are dying in the streets. People don't have health care. They're losing their homes. They can't afford prescription drugs to keep themselves alive. And we're ignoring all that and wasting money on campaigning.

And people wonder what's wrong with this country. Get a clue, people. Look in the mirror.

[joshcryer]

4. Indeed, I've been unable to connect with many people here over simple policy issues.

People just don't want to discuss how the candidates' plans are to be implemented or what effect they'll have. It's more about perceptions, perceptions of "who is better," rather than the issues themselves.

Al Gore hits it right on the head.

[Irishonly]

5. K&R

Thank you.

[calmblueocean]

6. Gotta love Al.

He was wrong on NAFTA, but the work he's doing now is really vital and historical. He's basically the de Tocqueville of our times.

[RestoreGore]

12. Yes, which is why I hope he stays out of this fray

I have much respect and love for this great man who has been so prescient on so many vital issues... but then I guess that isn't hard to figure out here. ;-) And as far as NAFTA goes, I truly believe he thought it was going to work out better than it did. But yes, as it turns out he was wrong, but then I think he has made up for that. I was not really for it, but there again we see another point about the toxicity of politics... not being able to speak your conscience.

[calmblueocean]

17. I'm with you. Hope he stays out of it.

If this is decided solely by the superdelegates, it's going to leave half the party feeling like justice has been denied. Al is really the only one with clout and standing enough in the party to step in and try to reconnect those groups and heal some of the divisions.

[Donnachaidh]

7. AMEN!

Wonderful post -- K&R!

We'll continue to have the "ShowPony Express" Campaigns until people begin to realize that the ISSUES are far more important than the BLING and the Photo-ops.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

8. What they lack in reason, they make up for with well financed platitudes.

[MissDeeds]

9. K & R

Excellent post. It seems that much of this election is based on celebrity, charisma, and hype. Add to this the notion of the "first woman to run for president" which isn't true, or the "first Black to run for president" which also isn't true, and we have a full tilt media frenzy.

Furthermore, the massive amounts of money that are being poured into the campaigns makes me wonder if we are going to settle for the best president money can buy - when of course the best president is always one that money cannot buy.

[hfojvt]

10. Obama girl was not part of the Obama campaign

that video was done privately by an early supporter.

Obama has not just run ads with ten second sound bites. He also mailed out a glossy twenty page flier, at least in my area. There have also been 18 debates, which could have covered issues of substance if they weren't run by the M$M.

Edwards got hurt by biased M$M coverage and Kucinich got excluded from debates. That was not based on money.

[RestoreGore]

11. If it wasn't based on money what else was it based on?

The fact that they speak truth? Perhaps. The fact that they don't engage in mudlsinging to make it interesting to those who need that? Perhaps. But I absolutely also believe that to the corporate media and now in the perception of many voters, those candidates that have the most money are the ones they see as more viable. John Edwards ran a campaign on issues, which was why he didn't get support from those who would rather throw a 100 dollars at the candidate Oprah tells them to. I think that is also a big problem we have in this country as well with this process... celebrities getting too damned involved in these campaigns. I've said it before and I will say it again: campaigns should be on a level playing field regarding funds and coverage with no endorsements allowed during the primary season. Then let's see who the front runners are.

[RestoreGore]

13. Thanks for all your comments, they are appreciated n/t

[waiting for hope]

14. Thank you for Gore's wise words -

I just wish he had endorsed Edwards because of his efforts in trying to beat back the system and get the issues out there.

K&R!

[smokey nj]

15. K&R!!

[joshcryer]

16. Thanks for the kick, I was mentioning this in another thread. Deserved to be seen again.

[vickitulsa]

18. Another aspect of the dominance of money that disturbs me

is that politicians now seem to be doing almost nothing except fundraising for their never-ending campaigns.

They get to keep what's left in their "campaign warchests" if they don't spend it all, right? So it seems many are geared in their thinking toward their next election run from the minute they attain office.

As many have observed, this corrupting influence also seems to cause those holding office to vote for or against bills in ways that either help ensure their re-election or satisfy previous big donors who helped them get there. It's like the entire process is now about and for money -- NOT the citizens they are supposed to represent! Not all of us, anyway.

And it doesn't even end there! Now it has become routine for those who leave political office to use what they've learned and the contacts they've established while there to ensure they get lucrative jobs in the business world -- including lobbying positions.

I see very little in this system that resembles a true representative democracy. Therefore I can't muster honest enthusiasm for candidates anymore, though I may dislike and mistrust some more than others.

Politics has become so dirty and corrupt, so full of lies, bribes, secret deals, broken promises, and manipulations of our citizens, that "public servants" now serve only their own interests and those of their wealthy backers.

One has to "suspend disbelief" in order to get behind the candidates that end up making it into the "top tier." I can do that when reading a novel, but not when it comes to choosing leaders who determine the fate of my country and my fellow citizens. This is just WRONG, through and through.

And who is it that has set up the system to revolve so thoroughly around money as it does today? Why, those who have held office, drafted and voted for legislation for that purpose, of course. Thus the votes that should count, OUR votes, whether they're tallied fairly or not (and most of us here at DU agree, I think, that they're not), don't really matter much at all.

Some democracy!