If I hear one more candidate promise to bring change, I may just give up and vote for a Libertarian or an Independent. It's getting to the point where it is almost nauseating. Huckabee is going to bring change. Hillary is going to bring change. It gets frustrating. It is getting ridiculous.
What does it really mean to bring change? What does a promise for change really involve? When a politician looks a voter in the eye and tells them without even blinking that change is coming, what can show that their promises have been fulfilled once they take office?
That is what is so infuriating about a promise for change. There is no measure for it. There is no ruler to put up against a candidate's record. They may say, "Well, I have been bringing change to government for years." What does that tell me?
People want to hear real ideas. Even as a conservative voter, I am more likely to vote for a liberal who can actually tell me what they are going to achieve, and also how they plan on doing it, over any candidates who have no thoughts of their own.
Truth be told, this country was sold and paid for a long, long time ago. No matter how many times Hillary promises to revamp the healthcare system, it is a task that may never be achieved. HMOs, major hospitals and drug companies such as Eli Lilly have far too much money and power to just roll over and die.
Change comes in small doses. Promising a revolutionary change is just setting up the American people for a major disappointment. Disappoint us now. Tell us that the next four years will more than likely resemble the last four. Be honest. Okay, that may be quite a request of a couple of politicians, but it's all we have.
If I were to make a suggestion to Barack, John, Rudy and the rest of the gang, here is what I may say: Stop making promises. Instead of giving the American people a copy of your to-do list, try something different. Tell us what you have done. Tell us where you have made key differences in our great nation.
I'm not trying to depress everybody here. I'm simply pointing out a few observations. Millions upon millions of dollars are being contributed to the various presidential campaigns.
When the CEOs of Fortune 500 companies make a contribution to a campaign, don't assume they're doing it out of the goodness of their hearts. They expect a return on their investment. Like I said, this nation was bought and paid for a long time ago. Corporate America is holding the receipt.
So how does a person choose a candidate? We need to choose through values. Vote for the person who feels the same way you do on certain topics, Vote for someone who has a consistent voting record.
The voters of America need to stop listening to the promises of change and instead look for who best represents them. We're not going to get America back from the corporations anytime soon. But maybe, just maybe, if we vote a ballot of our feelings, in line with the feelings of our candidate, we can slowly bring this nation back.
Write to Alex at apcarroll@bsu.edu
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