sick of hearing endless bloviating from politicians with little intent on following through on campaign promises and meaningless pontifications from an elite media class paid to put a charitable spin on political corruption and Congress’ complete inability to govern effectively. With our election cycles, we essentially have the worst of both worlds. They last forever, but due to the nature of corporate advertising propping up news networks, the endless election cycles aren’t used to discuss much of substance. Instead, a great deal of political coverage is devoted to optics and political maneuvering, such as how a politician looks on television and how a politician can pander to a certain group to gain their approval. There is very little discussion on the substance of political issues, such as the economy, the climate, housing, foreign policy, healthcare, etc. Much of the time discussing these issues is devoted to attacking the opposing party’s ideas and very little is devoted to discussing the root causes, deeper context or possible solutions to the problems. This leads to a general public that is apathetic, cynical and constantly lied to and misinformed. One has to go out of his or her way to find substantive, intelligent writing or discussion of these pressing issues, and many people understandably want to spend their free time in more leisurely pursuits. As the last few months have shown, it is more than possible for the public to make an informed electoral decision in a much shorter time period. And both political parties could put together campaigns in a much shorter time period. But the never-ending campaign cycles aren’t done for the benefit of the public. They exist because both American political parties are principally fundraising machines unconcerned with governing in a way most Americans would desire. And with that as the overriding factor, the amount of money on the line and the 24-hour news cycle necessitates endless electioneering. The public’s apathy and discontent are merely inconvenient side effects. There isn’t much evidence for any reform to our election system on the immediate horizon, which is grim in one sense. The factors that make our elections the way they are have only become more entrenched over the decades. But the American people are more than capable of focusing on substantive issues, and doing so in a shorter time period. The endless election cycles have the effect of putting the electorate into a daze of sorts, but the American public would respond to a more dynamic, participatory democracy with shorter, more focused election cycles. There is plenty of evidence of that. However, there is little evidence that any reform in this direction is occurring. Like many issues, the American public is far more ready for substantive change than the political class and its donors. 17
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