Politics - The Media And The Election

From the Guardian of the U.K. comes an impressive report on the U.S. elections of 2008 and the Presidential candidates. My question is, why do I have to rely on British papers to give me news about the Democratic candidates? The local birdcage liners are full of puerile pieces - witness this*, from Matt Bai - about how dreamy and manly-smelling the Republican candidates are, and what fucking hippies the Left are. Nothing of substance is asked about the political positions of the various candidates or their plans to lead the nation out of the quagmire that seven years of The Stupidest Fool On Teh Planet have left us in.

The war. The economic mess. The decay of the national infrastructure. The health care crisis. The mortgage crisis. The immigration crisis. The broken military. The corrupted Justice Department. The rise of racism. The unfunded, destructive, and pathetic NCLB act that is slowly sinking the schools. The treasury. The deficit. The destruction of a great and beautiful American city. The housing crisis. The destruction of the middle class. These are real issues, goddammit, and a lot more important to me than whether Fred Thompson smells of Aqua Vulva.

The Guardian article points out:

The Democrats who are running for president are flush with policy proposals, position papers and fact sheets. The leading Republican contenders, not so much.

Rudy Giuliani has his ``12 Commitments.'' Mitt Romney has his ``Strategy for a Stronger America.'' John McCain still serves up his ``straight talk.'' But, whether by design or default, they leave far more to the imagination than do the Democrats in discussing the big issues.

Yes! That's right! All I'm hearing from the Republicans is bullshit and babble. Mitt "My sons are just like the military, they're fighting to get me elected" Romney; John "We must keep throwing bodies into the Iraq meatgrinder" McCain; Rude "Torture! Kill! Imprison! 9/11!!9/11!! Scuse me I gotta take a call from my hot piece a nookie" Ghouliani; Fred "I don't know. I don't remember. I have no idea. Brawk! Blort!" Thompson; Tom "Hate 'em! Kill 'em! Shoot doze Messicans!" Tancredo.

And on the other side of the fence, Barack Obama, detailing his plans for the housing problem. Hillary Clinton (full disclosure: I can't stand her, although I once really liked and admired her) handling herself like a seasoned trooper; John Edwards, with his detailed health care plans, his ideas about jobs, the economy, schools, revitalizing towns and states and nations. Bill Richardson, who has figured out how to pay for the health care proposals he makes.

Goddammit, that's what I want to hear. And I'm willing to bet, as the economic crisis deepens and people realize that the fit is about to hit Awol McJeebus' shan, they'll want to hear it too.

At any rate. The Guardian. It's an excellent source of information.

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