THE DEMONIZATION BEGINS

Notes of Concern…

                               …Jackson Blair

The Demonization Begins

Why do you suppose we need to demonize people we do not like or support? I think it happens on a daily basis but it seems more obvious in four-year cycles.

Everytime we get down to two people running for President representing two political parties the knives come out.

The strongest and most stalwart supporters evidently think the only way to change someone’s preference for the other candidate is to make the candidate look devious, criminal or foolish and, by implication, make you look that way too because of your support.

Mitt Romney a gazillion years ago put his beloved dog on top of his stationwagon in which his five sons and wife were riding!

Cannot be president.

Barack Obama tried cocaine as a student it is reported.

Cannot be president.

As a teen Mitt bullied a kid on the playground.

Nope, no White House for him.

Obama made up his NYC girlfriend, a composite of many girls.

Get him out!

The list is as endless as it is foolish.

We are fortunate to have two seemingly nice men running to lead our nation for the next four years. They are attractive, pleasant and have lovely children. Both enjoy a life partner who is also attractive, conversational and intelligent.

Both have excellent educations from first-rate universities.

Both have held high political office before. They have faced voters. They have experience in the rarified atmosphere of the political arena.

Also, they both have records from serving in public office or in other jobs. Neither comes to the campaign without the baggage of a past or the hope of a future.

Between now and November we will get to see the two of them spar over a wide variety of issues. Everyone needs to move from his or her hard and fast positions and listen. Listen to what these fellows have to say, the way they say it, and try to gauge their commitment to what they are saying.

The formula for success in picking the next president is really quite simple. Here are the steps:

1.   Listen and watch each candidate with your mind open.

2.    Determine if Barack Obama has demonstrated in his

          first term the abilities you think are required to

          lead the country in the next four years.

3.   Determine if Mitt Romney has demonstrated in his career the abilities you think are required to lead the country in the

next four years.

4.   If the answer to #2 AND #3 above is YES then just pick the

fellow you LIKE the best.

     5. If the answers to #2 and #3 above are different, then your        

         choice is made!

Some years ago a book was published titled They Also Ran. The premise of this book was that the political parties had regularly nominated pretty good candidates and that the loser, had he been the winner, would most likely have done just fine. That is the best a democracy can hope for.

No matter what you read, or what you are told, it is important that you participate in this election by being an informed citizen and casting your vote not for the man your party tells you to vote for but for the man you personally believe will do the best job.

Let the vetting begin.