Cleaning Up Politics

Schieffer: We Need To Reform The Way We Pick Our Leaders

(CBS)  Weekly commentary by Face the Nation host Bob Schieffer.

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Well, we are almost there. On Wednesday morning we can all take the obligatory shower and wash off as much of this election as we can.

Remember back when the day after the election was a time we celebrated our favorite candidate's victory or were sad because our favorite lost?

Now we just want to be sure we didn't get any of it on us.

And no wonder. If all we knew about the elections is what we learned from the TV ads, we would think the only people running for public office were crooks, deviates and fools.

True, we did have a handful of crooks and two or three deviates in the news. But they are exceptions. Call me a hopeless romantic, but I still believe most people who run for office are good people. But don't expect to hear that from the guy with the raspy voice who seems to narrate all the TV ads.

A long time ago someone said democracies get the governments they deserve. But don't we deserve an election process better than this?

How have we come from a time when every grandmother thought her grandchild would grow up to be president to an era where you can't find a soul who wants his or her child to go near politics, let alone run for office?

May I ask the obvious question: Does that have anything to do with the kind of campaigns we are now made to suffer?

We'll never get the government we deserve until we make the hard choices needed to reform the way we pick our leaders.

I am Bob Schieffer and I hate these campaign commercials - all of them.

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[tmonta1]

More pertinent commentary from a professional who can deliver both news and opinion in a direct, no frills manner--and still come out of it as being likeable and respected. An amazing achievement in the society we've become.

Always a pleasure to read, see, and listen to. Keep it coming.

[djermano]

Bob...I hate to think I am an American with all the sleaze and hate that is always in America. That is politics. I really think representative government is the problem. It is about getting your guy in office...forget the issues.

I think we need Issue Resolutional Democracy. Issues are the staple to America's bread basket. The people should have the right to vote just on the issues, not for representatives. Those representatives can take the back chair for now on, they can administer the results from the Issues Resolved. Just think no more politicians battling each other. We just focus on the issues and vote for or against it. Just think no more blaming, or bashing, or pointing fingers. No more power grabs whether we want to believe 911 was done by Saddam BinLadin Hussein or not. Just think no more campaign finance rules broken or scandals such as Enron who will drive up power rates to make money for their party.

Seems to me that Issues deserve our attention, and Politicians do not. Sure would be a proud way administering democracy. Oh just think..no more assassination plots, because there would be no more President. .

The people deserve the right to vote on Issues, and the Right to secure their voice in democracy. I think history has proven representatives have failed us for to long.

Long Live freedom and Issue Resolutional Democracy.

[lfitts1]

The scary thing is--in a place far far away, long, long ago there were real debates and issues were discussed--the "Lincoln" debates, where they would debate for 3 hours and people actually listened.
We have degenerated from the 30 second sound bite to the 10 second sound bite. Our politicians scream about symbols, but not issues. They answer no questions--all queries are an opportunity to repeat sound bites--how did we get here and how to we get back???

[rodeo555]

Bob Schieffer, as usual, hits the nail on the head with his relevant and eloquent style.
Maybe someday we'll get a law passed that says that any political advertisement in any medium can make NO reference - direct or indirect, visually or aurally - to any other person. Not even any reference to "my opponent". Levy a fine if broken. Let 'em talk about themselves, it's what politicians do best!

[rhondaanne-2009]

#1. Candidates should not be allowed to receive money from anyone except individuals.
#2. There should be a cap on how much they receive - they spend WAY too much and completely drown us in all their negative sewage.

As soon as a candidate begins slamming their opponent, they have lost me. I've tuned them out. I'm not interested in what they have to say about the other guy. I want to hear what THEY are going to do for our country! If they are talking about the other guy, I assume they don't have a plan.

What happened to civility? To manners? To integrity? To character? If I can possibly find him or her, I'm voting for the candidate with a positive, productive message. If they are bad-mouthing their opponent, I just think they are a very small person, running for office because they can't find a real job.