The following is a KSCO commentary. Here is Kay Zwerling:
I recorded this commentary 3-23-2007 and it is in my book in the section Part 2, United States of America.
In our democratic society, how come the way we elect our most important leader – the President – is not democratic?
Whoever believes he or she has the wherewithal to be our leader must have $100 million for campaign expenses.
This system must have been in place for so long that no one seems to question it.
True, George Washington was a wealthy, and most loved patriot. So was Abraham Lincoln, but he was poor, and he became President.
Through the years, the cost of running for public office went up probably rapidly especially once the internet and TV became the perfect vehicles to showcase candidates.
Let’s take Hillary Clinton – actually let’s not. She has been a Presidential wannabe since she moved into the White House.
Remember that foolish campaign wording of “You’ll get two for the price of one.” Whoever wanted Hillary in the first place?
She has accomplished nothing to make herself a candidate for the Presidency, except that she has a war chest of over $100 million. And, oh yeah, she claims it takes a village to raise a child. That is nonsense.
Someone also started the rumor that she is the smartest woman in the world, and that is a crock, also.
No wonder we wind up with mediocre leaders most of the time. Franklin Delano Roosevelt was pretty good though he was a racist. He could not find room in our country for a ship load of Holocaust victims so he sent them back to Germany to die. Harry Truman the haberdasher was a simple honest courageous man who truly meant it when he said “The buck stops here.” As Vice President, he inherited the Presidency when Roosevelt died. He had integrity and respect for the office, and also the courage to make the agonizing decision to end the war in Japan, saving many thousands of lives. His decision heralded in the Atomic Age.
Back to Hillary – a contrived and staged creature who lives by the polls just like Bill did. Her magnum opus was her health plan and it was a disaster, discarded by the entire Congress. She was a liar who would not remember anything while under oath. She lied about her questionable documents while with the Rose Law Firm, and mysteriously had them brought forth anonymously many months later.
She and Bill helped themselves to furniture and other treasures that were not nailed down when they left the White House, and when ordered to return the furniture and artwork, they did so shamelessly.
And now, they both want another eight years in the White House? God help us. Their greatest flaw is their arrogance and underestimation of the intelligence of We the People.
Why do I discredit Hillary now? Because I believe she will be a candidate for President next year in 2012. I hope I am wrong.
I believe the honest way to obtain Presidential candidates may be with government rules which state that candidates are not permitted to use their own money to campaign. Rather, each candidate should be given some sum of government funds.
That would seem to be a more level playing field, and then may the best one for the job win, instead of the one with the most millions. The playing field should whittle down to two candidates who have proven themselves to be able to make valid decisions.
Those two should receive the bulk of the government funds for their final campaigning.
For KSCO, this is Kay Zwerling.
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