Don’t give up on politicians
If debates are reality TV and rallies are concerts, then presidential hopefuls are the celebrities of the day.
But what differentiates them from, say, Taylor Swift or Kim Kardashian is that they don’t merely connect with their fan base. It goes much deeper.
They argue about how they will take care of us, protect us, support us and defend our interests better than the others.
The voter is the fair maiden watching as suitors line up, each promising a glorious future (that will end up being a four- to eight-year ride full of inevitable bumps and bruises).
Today’s political candidate must portray him or herself as a worthy partner just as much as a public servant. We are looking for someone who meets our standard: someone charming and insightful, or proud and aggressive, or self-deprecating and witty.
What’s your type, America? We are voting just as much with our emotions as our brains…maybe more!
So often lately as politicians’ sound bytes go viral or unexpected endorsements surface, I hear people say with genuine hurt in their voice, “I’m so confused.” “I never would have expected that from him.” “I don’t know who to trust.”
This all sounds like the perfect setup for a boy band song. I can imagine some surprise candidate emerging from the wings of the debate stage to say, “I see how you’re being treated, baby, and you deserve better. Won’t you give me a chance?”
Personally, this gives me that same unamused feeling that dating used to give me before I met my husband. I feel myself recoiling, hard. I would rather keep my dignity and stay out of it all than engage and feel played, used and empty inside.
Of course, being a single person is of no harm to anyone else. But self-censoring by staying away from the ballot box is a different matter.
It’s just that when we’re talking about a national election, we can only hope to get it right. It feels like playing a game of darts after a pitcher of beer. I know where I want the dart to end up, but it just hit some innocent bystander in the back and I really don’t know how that happened. I swear I threw it right at the bullseye!
As exasperating as this season has been, I have not given up on meeting my match. There are local “suitors” all around who recently qualified and registered to run for school board, city council, judgeships and other positions.
These are people we can actually have conversations with. We can ask them tough questions. We can vet them through mutual friends. We can hear their plans and have a better sense of their integrity than those on the national stage.
Hopefully, we will elect a new president that won’t give us nightmares. But I’m more hopeful that we can elect local officials we can be pleased with, proud of, and actually trust. Wouldn’t that be nice?
Natalia Naman Temesgen is an independent contractor. Contact her at nntemesgen@gmail.com.
This story was originally published April 1, 2016 at 2:54 PM with the headline "Don’t give up on politicians."