Campaign Jetsam and Flotsam (corrected)

As the campaigns come to an end, desperate measures seem to arrive at the same time. The media gets tired of reporting the same positions over and over and instead looks at some little comment that someone said 7 years ago that the candidate knew.

There's a simple mnemonic that helps distinguish flotsam from jetsam. Flotsam (or floatsome) are those items which are floating as a consequence of the action of the sea. Jetsam are those which have been jettisoned by a ship's crew (although that may float too of course).

Why don't they stick to the issues and the differences of the candidate with the issues? Because frankly, they are not that much different. They are different between parties. This will be seen again in the Fall elections. I am hopeful that the primary elections will not push the opposition into some swift boat response. That was ugly and again off topic. It is these things that set the headlines and in the end move the independent voters to move away from platforms that would do them good.

In debate you never win or lose a contest over the side issues, its over the rationale for change or no change that really win or lose contests. The longer you can get the other side to talk about issues that are away from the major point, the better your argument looks. The same is true here. The more time the candidates are off of point, the more chance that the imperative of change will be diluted.

It really doesn't matter which church Obama went to or what pastor Wright said 7 years ago. What really matters is does Obama have the courage of his convictions to stand up to the big business interests in this country and say, we have to bring the troops home, we have to have universal health care, we have to take care of our vets, we need to spend the money that is required for categorical programs demanded by the Fed Government.

I believe that Obama does have that courage, and will promote that agenda. He is not a Washington insider, or a thwarted politician that has been told for the last 8 years no you can't. The vision is there. It is fueled by youth. If the young people get out and vote in November it should be a very embarrassing moment for the GOP. Just like it was a very embarrassing moment for Hillary in Iowa, and Wisconsin. Youth power at the polls is a pretty exciting thing.

Have a great day!

Pat