Now I know that the topic of elections and campaigning aren't the most interesting topics to discuss, but knowing what might happen if the wrong person is put into power is a little more intriguing. I decided to bring this up because in my opinion the way that politicians run their campaigning is way out of line and costs extreme amounts of money, and all of this is done to win what essentially is a popularity contest that displays only the faults of the other opponents (usually just the main opponent of the candidate) without saying anything in which they would do to try and win votes. There is really no way in stopping any of this at the moment, but in my honest opinion there really should be considering the millions of dollars that these candidates get for creating a campaign and then making commercials and advertisements that mainly point out very small and insignificant things that they promise to do (i.e. cut taxes, drop the unemployment rate, and make more jobs) and attack their opponents' flaws. What was once a pure poll of who is the better leader all we have now is a hesaid shesaid war that only uses political slander, and from this we only get what we could consider to be a pick the person who can point out the best flaws.
What needs to be done first is that strict lines as to what can be said during debates needs to be placed so that politicians will only say what they will be willing to do and propose so that they can help our country better, and not say that their opponent isn't going to do something or that they will go on to do something that is dangerous and my cause a risk to our country. Second for campaigning, candidates can only spend a set amount of funds to get their points across and show that they have what it takes to be the best leader that this country has ever seen. What is currently being done today is that, the person who has the most money will have the most supporters, and if they have the most supporters then they can send out any message that they want and their supporters will still be on their side. This can't continue to be a trend, because our country is going nowhere fast and if we can't find a way out with a leader who won't only use slander, then we'll be stuck here for a good long while.
First off, I would have to agree with you that campaign methods do not always promote supporting a candidate on the correct basis. I feel that campaigns should be based on the qualities of candidates and the reasonable actions that they can achieve while in office. The US government is not set up so that one person can go in and make a dramatic change. Instead, it is set up so that a person can lobby for certain outcomes and gain support for them. With that said, banter and name-calling grabs headlines and sensationalizes a situation or characterization of a candidate. Those candidates who make the headlines under a popular stance have a better chance to win an election; those making headlines under an unpopular stance have a better chance to lose an election. This practice has occurred throughout our history. It is important to note that just because it has become standard practice does not mean that it should be a primary focus of campaigns. The party system by its very nature creates a comparison between candidates and, I feel, splits the country on opposing sides that most people do not understand or follow. As long as we continue to employ single-member districts and not proportional representation the current tactics used in elections will continue and unfortunately, the focus and revenues raised won’t be on solving the problems of our time. We know that finances have and potentially always will be an issue with politics. Supporters want their candidate to win so they can get favorable legislation passed. The easiest way to ensure victory is through financial support. Fortunately, the Federal Elections Commission was established to monitor spending in federal campaigns. This helps to regulate money that is coming in from corporations, lobbyist groups, political action committees, individuals, and political parties. Although, each donor has a limit to what they can contribute to a candidate there is no limit on the number of donors who can contribute. This in turn, leaves the field wide open on the amount of money a candidate can raise for their campaign. So bottom line, find a candidate worthy of supporting and send in your check. This seems like a poor way to be represented but sadly, in the current system, it may be the best way to be heard.
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