THE DAY AFTER
What can we do to be assured of cleaner political campaign?
I assume you agree that, following our election of 2005 here in the Commonwealth of Virginia, such a pristine promise, is, beyond doubt, something to be considered quite seriously. It is most important, too, that we do so before the basic structure of our state and nation are harmed in any way.
Our recent experience with political cowardice here in Virginia will be something which will be long remembered by historians who will seek ways to cover it as best they can because it was a decidedly poor picture painted on a state-wide basis which gave a very poor picture of the manner in which democracy works a mong us.
The campaign was blatantly nasty and a great many people were "turned off" by the negative rantings. Of far great import will be the number of people who were confused, dispirited and miss-led into faulty judgment on critical issues. There were, of course, the usual number of clowns who say they were disgusted with the trivial nature of the campaigning and stayed away from the polls as a sort of protest"; others just stayed away - as both types commonly do year after year.
Television is, perhaps, the most important single element in our political society today. It has brought with it some rather drastic changes in to the art of capable electioneering. We have not kept pace with the many advances of comunications in general and often failed to adjust our thinking to the extensive power it exerts over large areas of geography and increasing segments of voting persons and new groups as well. TV is now the controlling power of elections, having taken over from the ponderous job the printing presses - with their associated art forms - did so well for so many decades. The newer versions also have a marked tendency to show things as they really are or as they might be made to appear to have been or to promise to become. The opportuniiesites allow spaious reas for working with suggestions, hints, half-truths and downright fabrication can be magnified and easily accessable to all.
Today s the date t all happened - or came to a screeching halt - and most of us are glad it is ended
Pleased? Some are. Some are not.
We split the main ticket with a Democratic Governor, a Republican for him to work with, and the Atty-Gen contest is in a recount proceedure reminicent of "chad" days not too long ago.
