0560 - Debatable

In case you have been buried in a hole in rural Iraq for the last few months, the U.S. is holding an election. In addition to the usual political ads [“My name is Sonorous J. Flatulent and I approved this advertisement”] we now have all sorts of shabby attack ads by supposedly independent groups. The latest features some character who wasn’t in Kerry’s Viet Nam boats, but says his [Kerry’s] medals weren't “earned”. Our favorite Republican, Sen. McCain, said this stuff was disgusting and dishonorable. We have an idea to save our sanity and allow more time to watch Wheel of Fortune replays: let’s get both parties to switch to John McCain, and elect him by acclamation. That’s what the Republicans should have done last time. We don’t agree with everything McCain says, but he is honest, blunt, says what he thinks, and he opposes pork spending. Think of the money we’d save!

Returning to reality, what we would really like is a more intelligent political discussion; clearly, an impossible dream. Why not require every TV station that gets a free multi-million-dollar right to use the airwaves the duty of providing one free hour a week for a Presidential debate on a specified subject? Either the candidates or their nominees would appear and talk without screaming (unlike, say, “Crossfire”).

The OO is wasting away with desire to debate the question of either the Bush foreign policies (to the extent they exist) or the botch in Iraq. We would choose General Tony McPeak (former Air Force Chief of Staff) as a partner – he said last week that the Bush foreign relations are a “National disaster”. Yes.

The most interesting aspect of real debates – not just slogan repeating – is that honest debaters might find points of agreement with their opponents. Our Staff, for example, while horrified by the Bush trashing of every long-built bit of international machinery, happens to agree that it wouldn’t hurt the moose much to drill in a fragment of the Alaska wildlife reserve. A friend who took an Alaska cruise says the moose like the pipeline and cozy up to it to keep warm.

We could also talk about tax policy. We see that the rather plump GOP Speaker of the House (Hastert) is talking about a flat tax. How about a tax levied on personal poundage? That might fight the deficit and obesity at the same time. While the current U.S. tax code is ridiculous, and became more so with Bush, we’re open for a sensible debate. Like: we’ll trade you an indexing of capital gains for inflation if you tax all income alike. The debaters could practice in Anguilla where income taxes don’t exist, though we do have customs duties, a stiff 25% on cars.

In our deeply considered opinion, the worst flaw in current political discourse is that the real issues are always ducked, evaded, and avoided. Look, someone has to pay for the candidates’ programs. Health care is expensive, so where’s the money? OK, no one likes taxes, but what are the consequences of eliminating all estate duties? All the pols talk, but no one cuts anything (and that includes both parties). Where was the Bush plan for postwar Iraq? Did anyone with any knowledge participate? What is a sensible energy policy? Don’t talk about hydrogen cars or the inalienable right to own a hulking SUV – what’s practical? This column begins to think that more nuclear power plants have to be built – is that a vision or a threat? Is the right to run a Hummer guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution? And if not, should it be? American citizens, let's talk. And then, they say the Anguilla elections are coming up: same prescription.

Next time: SpotNews [OO #561]

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