Rick Gray
Talking Things Over
By
Sep 3, 2008 - 9:06:37 AM

In the twelve-hour lull between Barack Obama’s stadium show and the announcement of John McCain’s running mate, I’ve sat down to face the blank screen – trying to think clearly about the presidential race that is about to enter its stretch run.

Perhaps we should all do that.

For those who remain undecided, it’s time for research and – a reflection.  For those who’ve chosen their man – enthusiastically or reluctantly – it’s time for a little campaigning.
For all of us, it’s time to start getting involved.

Seriously.  Many folks consider that they’ve done their civic duty if they show up at the polls on election day.  Under modern conditions, there really has to be more to it.

We need to talk.

Ordinary civic life creates many occasions for discussing an election – at a neighborhood cookout, watching the kids play football or soccer, taking a break from raking leaves.  It isn’t necessary to make a speech, or knock on a stranger’s door, or pay $100 for a plate of overcooked chicken or bland barbecue.

But talking calmly and thoughtfully with people you know – about the candidates and the issues – seems to me a basic element of civic life.

To be sure, many folks were raised to believe that politics and religion should never be discussed in polite society.  Once upon a time, that made sense.  There were other occasions – town meetings, court days, civic holidays – where citizens gathered to discuss such things.

Today, sadly, America’s political dialogue has largely turned into a one-way stream.  This year, candidates, parties, PACs, and various other organizations – not to mention our increasingly polarized media – will spend billions trying to shape our perceptions and opinions.  

Since few of us have the financial means to shout back, our choices are limited.  We can either submit passively to the flood of one-way propaganda – for that’s what it is – or we can seek occasions to talk with friends and neighbors and try to make sense of the choices before us.   

I like to think of it this way: Most of us have had the experience of following a big criminal trial through the media – and then, after the verdict, being surprised at the very different perspective of the folks on the jury.

Well, there’s a reason for that.  The jurors – a more or less random sample of citizens – had heard the whole case, then retired to discuss it among themselves.  You and I had only heard what the media told us – often the most sensational aspects of the case – and we hadn’t had the opportunity to sit down and discuss the law and the evidence among ourselves.

It seems to me we have the same problem with politics today.

We don’t have town meetings, in a genuine sense.  We don’t often discuss politics with friends or acquaintances – unless we’re pretty sure they agree with us.  In short, we don’t take advantage of the insights we could gain from some friend or neighbor who – presented with the same basic information – had come to an entirely different conclusion from the one that seemed obvious to us.

In other words, few of us create little informal juries to help us think things through – to get to the right decision, not just for ourselves, but for the nation.

And we really should.

Over the next few months, both candidates for president will tell us about the lovely things they intend to do for us.  Various allied groups – the “Swift Boaters” and MoveOn, etc. –  will tell us why the candidate they oppose is a misbegotten knave with no business running for dog catcher.

And none of this will be very helpful.

For, in truth, John McCain and Barack Obama are both remarkable men – but neither has ever been president. Since that is true, no one can be sure how they would translate their very different life experiences into national leadership.  We can only guess – by studying their past conduct in various situations – how they might perform under the intense pressures of the Oval Office.

It’s also true that neither presidential candidate’s campaign promises will mean all that much once one of them takes office.  Guided by their advisers, successful candidates tend to promise a lot – while ignoring the costs – because that’s what most voters want to hear.
In office – assuming they aren’t delusional – they must deal with reality.

For the next president, this reality will include: unexpected international crises, two wars, and an on-going terrorist threat; a weak economy; a metastasizing national debt; the fact that a president must get his agenda past Congress – and the legions of lobbyists who often seem to control Congress; and the million distractions that threaten a candidate’s well-laid plans once he takes the oath.

In the final analysis, we can’t choose wisely simply by comparing campaign promises. We must choose between two men – at this particular historical juncture.

At such a time, there’s nothing like the company and counsel of a few friends.

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