Thursday, September 09, 2004
(8:12 AM) | Adam Kotsko:
Let's talk about the present
Seriously. For once in this campaign, just once, I would like a detailed discussion of the present. I'd like to hear, in detail, where each candidate thinks we are and the direction we're heading. I'd like to hear, in detail, how each candidate thinks that we got to this particular juncture. I'd like to hear what things, in detail, they think need changing and how, in detail, they'd propose to change them.I'd like to hear some acknowledgement that the whole of reality cannot be reduced to the struggle for power between the two political parties, that we can at least provisionally designate some aspects of reality as "facts" and assess past performance and likely future performance of politicians based on those facts.
Instead, we get oversimplified platitudes alternating with faux debate about events that have been matters of undisputed historical fact for decades. Maybe that's all Bush is capable of, but I really think we deserve better from Kerry. I wonder if the American people will ever grow tired of being patronized -- or I wonder if they already have, and the voter turnout statistics are the sign of that.
UPDATE (only loosely related, not worth a whole post): If you don't normally read Matt Yglesias, I recommend you start -- ever since he went to the Republican convention, he's been in a wonderfully cranky mood. The way he now "patiently explains" reality to all those who subscribe to Republicanism is very amusing. Plus, if you're bored at work, the guy seriously writes a new post every hour or so -- and they actually have some substance to them, unlike Atrios or Instapundit.
