by Jack Lee
Is the presidential election process too long? I think so, but what’s your opinion?
Over the years the presidential election cycle has been stretched and stretched and stretched…where it’s now about 24 months long in full election mode. That leads to a lot of fatigue, on us and candidates. Of course the actual planning phase begins even sooner, typically several years before the campaigning. The strategy is hammered out, endorsements are lined up, deep pockets are recruited and a professional election team is hired and investigators are busy digging up dirt on all potential adversaries. Is it any wonder the cost to run an effective election has skyrocketed in the past few decades?
Total spending for the 2012 presidential election blew away previous cycles with so-called super PACs laying down a staggering $629 million. When combined, Team Obama and Team Romney spent roughly $2 billion. The 2012 presidential cycle was the longest and most expensive in American history…but, just wait until 2016!
This begs the question, is all this really necessary?
Just how long should it take to inform your average voter before they’re ready to make an informed decision? Maybe I should qualify the term [average]. There are two competing versions of [average]. That is, the ideal and real [average]. The ideal [average] voter has at least [average] intelligence. He or she, is fairly eager to hear the candidates messages and it doesn’t take too long for them to hold an informed opinion.
Now for the real: The real [average] is likely sub-par in smarts with many of them unable to read and write above the 3rd grade level. They have a short attention span and an equally short memory; at least when it comes to political details and history. Needless to say, they’re not deep thinkers! They’re lucky if they hear the political sound bytes, never mind the whole speech! This [real] voter comes in two basic categories: 1. the partisan zombies or 2. (And equally as bad) They vote according to the last ad they heard.
Today a presidential candidate’s message is repeated tens of thousands of times. It’s on TV, radio, in the news, on talk shows, public debates, public forums, stump speeches, town hall meetings and dozens of direct mailings. It is therefore with great chagrin that this massive communication effort to sway an electorate, too often comes down to those perpetual last minute [undecideds]. They are the confused, low information, voters who wait until the 11th hour of the election to decide the fate of the nation. Well screeeeeew them! Because we’re sick and tired of candidates catering (ad nauseum) to the lowest common denominator. Speak to us (the ideal voters), because we matter most. Leave those others behind to wallow in their confusion.
In this day of information overload everything we need to know about a candidate for president can easily be put into 6 months of campaigning. If that short election cycle results in some people to missing the vote on election day because they were confused or too busy scratching their butts, then fine, it’s no loss! We don’t want or need them involved…leave electing up to the informed who have done their due diligence. Speaking in the vernacular of the low information voter, when it comes to the presidential election cycle more is not better, less is more better!