Guest Column

Election year can make your head spin

By MARY PARTINGTON
Published January 1, 2008

Hold on to your hats, your socks and your sanity. You cannot escape the fact that 2008 is an election year, and what a frenzied year it is going to be!

Running for the nomination is a man of color, a woman, a divorced man, a Mormon, a Christian conservative, a war hero, a trial lawyer - and the list goes on. I have not been able to discern how much money is being spent but I would wager that the amount could provide health care for countless children and bring down the national debt.

States have been racing to have their primary or caucus first in the nation. Small states and rural states are holding the attention of the media. "Who's on first?" is an old comedy routine and the comedy of the daily polls from Iowa is very tiring.

One of the factors in this election may be the "O" dynamic. Oprah Winfrey is campaigning for Sen. Barack Obama. His events have to find larger venues to hold the people who want to see Oprah; he is just a tagalong.

I am so tired of the acrimony in the political discourse. I want to ask, "Can't we all just get along?" The business of the country is not getting done. There is no give and take anymore. I am reminded of a horde of children in a backyard sandbox throwing sand and arguing which shovel belongs to whom. I used to tell the children that if they did not get along they would have to go home. I think the voters should do the same thing. Throw them all out of the yard and invite some new players.

In 2000, Florida decided the election. It was a time of turmoil, and George Bush has never recovered in some minds. The question is now raised about Florida and if it is prepared to have an election process that will not reflect disappointingly on the state.

Well, I say, bring all the candidates to Florida. Bring them to Tampa Bay. Bring them to Busch Gardens for one day and we will sort them all out and find the one person who can lead this country. Talk about spin. Put them all on Montu and let them experience real spin. Next they should ride SheiKra so they can use all their words as they plunge through the water. Finally, all the candidates must ride Gwazi, the ride that features two distinct intertwined wooden coasters. There are the Lion and the Tiger coasters, and for the event we can rename them the Donkey and the Elephant. The candidates must ride the coasters until there is only one candidate left. Then we would know that person is able to deal with anything the world has to throw at them.

I love this country with my whole heart and soul. I understand why people swim oceans and huddle in trucks to live in our land. When I see the flag flying and hear the national anthem or God Bless America, the tears flow. All the pictures of coffins enclosing our brave men and women shatter my heart. I know the candidates love our country. I wonder if the quest for the power of the office doesn't obscure the true duty of the president.

The president must be a person of integrity. Everyone who seeks the office should have to complete a course in ethics. We must be able to trust in the decisions our government makes. We have suffered from some major blunders by past presidents but the country survived. The question now becomes: Can we afford any more mistakes?

As this election approaches, everyone has a duty. The media must be truthful and unbiased, the candidates must have the best interests of the country as their goal and the voters must search their own minds and hearts to vote for the person who will be the best president. The ultimate duty is to vote. We have too much at stake for any of the parties to fail in their duty.

Mary Partington lives in New Port Richey. Guest columnists write their own views on subjects they choose, which do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.

[Last modified December 31, 2007, 19:38:59]