The Sound Bite Election

I fear that the 2008 Election will be won or lost on the "Sound Bite" battlefield. Instead of a well thought out debate about what the candidates propose to do about the major issues, candidates will be elected based upon how "catchy" their responses to questions are.

Witness the most recent Democratic debate at Howard University. When asked about the spread of AIDS among the black community, Hillary Clinton stated; "Let me put this into perspective. If AIDS was the leading cause of death of white women between the ages of 25 to 34, there would be an outrage...outcry in this country."

The crowd ate it up.




Now, she went on to state a number of initiatives that she would promote to help reduce the effects of AIDs on the African American population, but THIS was the sound bite that was covered on the evening news.

When are we going to ask more of those who wish to govern the country?

Questions like:
1. Are you accepting corporate and special interest campaign contributions? If so, how can you assure voters that you aren't being bought? What do your corporate sponsors expect in return?
2. How will you pay for Universal Healthcare, Border Security, Social Security?
3. How will you address our trade deficits?
4. How do you propose to pay down our national debt?
5. When will you restore ALL our freedoms granted under the Constitution?
6. How will you eliminate our dependence on oil?
7. What do you propose to do about our failing educational system and our horrendous drop out rates?
8. How will you address the war in Iraq?
9. What will you do to improve transparency in government policies? earmarks? deficits?
10. How will you restore the Justice Department's independence from the Executive branch and Congress?

The answers to these questions are difficult to encapsulate in a sound bite or on a bumper sticker. They require a conversation, analysis, contemplation.

Let's not waste the next 6 months on meaningless sound bites. Our votes are much more important than that.

Let's vow to challenge ALL those would would be our future President and get them to answer the TOUGH questions.