"Campaign Fatigue" or Indifference?

The last few weeks have been extraordinary in ways that I could not have imagined, let alone forecasted. The American people, at least those that look past the mainstream media, seem to be rejecting the status quo and have begun to voice their opinions in a way that can’t be misinterpreted. I’m not just talking about the liberal/progressive wing of the political dynamic; I’m talking about centrist Democrats and Republicans, as well. The issues that people are bring up in forums and in articles, bring up the same issues; the war, our tax structure, the economy and the destruction of the Middle-Class, the weakening of our fundamental rights under the Constitution, special interest influence and the refusal of politicians on a Federal level to listen to their constituents.

These issues are not endemic to one particular political point of view. Conservatives as well as liberals are disgusted with the mainstream media and their refusal to focus upon those issues that are driving the political thought of many Americans. The majority of American voters want the war in Iraq ended, they want jobs that pay a decent wage, they want a free and independent press that doesn’t slant the news and most importantly, they want to be heard on the issues.

This sudden shift away from the political mainstream, in my opinion, has to do with candidates not speaking out on the core issues that Americans are concerned with. When you add to that to the inane questions and the ridiculous analysis that the networks serve up as political coverage, people that were once listening, are tuning out. The media is trying hard to spin this as “campaign fatigue” but in reality it’s not fatigue at all, its indifference. The candidates aren’t saying anything new and repeat the same mantra over and over again, and this is leading to apathy among the voters.

On the Democratic side of the spectrum, Obama and Clinton seem to be throwing mud against the wall hoping some of it will stick. Those voters that had hoped for real change are seeing politics as usual. They are watching as political machines tear into each other without regard for “collateral damage”. Those who had hoped that a Democratic candidate would bring reason to the White House are hearing of “massive retaliation” if Iran should attack Israel. They are listening to strategies that would bring missile strikes to Pakistan and Iran. They are watching the Democrats turn their backs on former President Carter as he wins big concessions from Hamas and a real hope for peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians that unfortunately will go nowhere now. These things that I have mentioned in regards to the Democrats have not fallen on deaf ears. American voters are faced with a real dilemma, either support their candidates that advocate failed policies and saber-rattling, or watch Senator McCain, who clearly has lost touch with reality, become President.

The Republicans face a dilemma of their own. They have a candidate that has changed his political views so many times in the last four years that it is virtually impossible to fully understand what, if anything, he actually stands for. He admits he is weak on knowledge of the economy, yet we are facing a huge economic crisis. McCain can’t differentiate between Al-Queda and Iran, between Sunni and Shiite nor can he understand the difference between Iraq and Vietnam. He has a rotten temper, a tumor in his cheek he refuses to acknowledge, and he wants to continue the “American Empire” experiment (with the wars that accompany this) regardless of the consequences to the economy. They also have no real alternative, unless they are willing to accept the Democrats that the media has labeled as “so liberal that they are almost socialists”.

It really doesn’t matter what party you support, none of the candidates appeal to the basic core constituency of either the GOP or the Democrats. It doesn’t take a political analyst to understand that the current presidential race is probably one of the most over-hyped in US history. The media has failed the people miserably by focusing on personalities instead of principle, rhetoric over reality and innuendo over insight. We understand less about these people running for President than we did at the beginning of this travesty. These people have changed their stances not only with each passing day, but with each group they talk to.

The situation is ripe for a third party candidate that can fuel the American voter’s imagination. I think that the political parties and the corporate controlled mainstream media have underestimated the American people. The feeling right now is one of indifference and apathy. This could well translate to righteous indignation unless the politicos and the MSM start to address the real concerns of the people that make up both parties. The stakes in this election are too high to continue the “business as usual” routine. The American people are being hurt by the failed policies of Bush and his followers. The majority of people are no longer listening, when that happens; it usually means that they are thinking for themselves. This may not bode well for the two political parties that have locked up this country for the last 150 years, but realistically this could be best thing that could have happened for Americans.

Views expressed on this page are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Campaign for America's Future or Institute for America's Future