Don’t You Think You Deserve Better?

I watched about a half hour of the Fetterman- Oz senatorial debate debacle on Tuesday night. It was horrible. Aside from the fact that John Fetterman who suffered a stroke in May seemed unable to comprehend what was going on, neither he nor his opponent Mehmet Oz answered the questions posed to them or offered any cogent policy solutions to the pressing problems facing the nation and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Neither candidate provided the viewers any real reason to have confidence he would provide the needed change to help steer the nation and state from the abyss they are headed over. 

Both candidates reiterated their campaign ad rhetoric and personal attacks against their opponent in lieu of any real policy or legislative ideas. It was so painful to watch I turned it off after about thirty minutes. Whew, I feel sorry for the residents of Pennsylvania, I really do. Can’t the residents of the Keystone State do better? 

John Fetterman is obviously still affected by the stroke he suffered in May; so much so that it should create concern about his ability to function in the US Senate. Mehmet Oz, the physician, and TV personality was only a little better. He was more coherent and cogent than Fetterman, but he failed dismally to move beyond clichés and his campaign rhetoric in his responses to the questions asked of him and his retorts to Fetterman’s attempted rebuttals and attacks. 

I am not against people with health conditions and challenges engaging in public service, but not if their condition prevents them from being effective and responsible in performing the duties of their office. Watching Fetterman I think most reasonable people would have serious questions about his ability to effectively conduct his duties as a US Senator. Fetterman has a background in public service, having served as a small-town mayor and Lt. Governor of the state but watching him Tuesday night, I’m convinced he lacks the mental sharpness to do the job. 

Oz on the other hand, has no real links or ties to Pennsylvania other than family. He moved to the state several months ago to fulfill the residency requirement! Before relocating to the Keystone State, Oz lived all over, having numerous house, but he mostly resided in New Jersey. Oz has absolutely no experience as an elected official. 

This country is facing a myriad of problems and challenges: rising inflation, stagflation (the economy slowing down while the costs of living skyrocket), divisiveness and polarization along socioeconomic, gender, racial and ideological lines, and a growing sense of despair, a feeling the nation is heading in the wrong direction, fast! We need intelligent, honest and committed leaders. We have to set a high bar. We need leaders (civic, political, and institutional) who can provide a bigger, more inclusive vision for us, the country and world. We need leaders who espouse ideas that encompass the higher ideals of the greatest good for the greatest number of people and who champion respect for everyone regardless of social status, class, or skin color. 

One of these men is going to win in a few weeks, and he will have to debate and create legislation that deals with the economy, health, war, and peace and help to formulate policies that will impact the lives of not just the people of Pennsylvania but the whole nation. 

US electoral politics depends so much on money; money to fund campaigns, money to pay for print, radio, and television ads, money to pay staff salaries, and to get out the vote. Much of this money comes from the wealthy and super-rich, corporations, and lobbyists (bribers). Working-class folks rarely contribute big bucks to political campaigns–many feel they cannot afford to. 

Regular folks do contribute to political campaigns but not to the degree and amount the special interest groups do, and this is a serious problem. The big donors and heavy contributors get the attention of the elected officials with their donations, not us. This is why the US is in such bad shape; the politicians owe their positions and souls to the donors! He who pays the piper/fiddler calls the tune. 

But even if this were not the case, I firmly believe we the American people deserve intelligent, honest, quality public servants. We deserve what the best and brightest among us have to offer. Looking at the political ads for this campaign and after watching some of the debate, I am convinced neither one of these men fits this category.