NationStates Jolt Archive

I thought we elected senators, representatives, presidents, etc. in order to lead our country.

I didn't know we elected the said people in order to be role models.

Really, I'm greatly confused. The original point of the said people was to lead our country. So why in hell are we electing (or not electing) people based on their personality? Why aren't we electing people based on where they stand on issues?

Look at the commercials and campaigns attacking Henry Ford Jr.

What does it say essentially?

He's immoral.

Ok... Now what does it say about his political stance? I'm pretty sure we need to be electing him based on his political stance.

Now that I think about it, aren't almost all anti-whomever commercials really based off of the person's personality? Sure, there's the few that actually say "Oh. This guy flip-flops on issues so much!", but there's so many out there than only attack the person.

Then there's all of the commercials and campaigns that promote people based on their person.

AARP recently made a commercial about this:

http://www.dontvote.com/ARPCOR6033_spot1_songanddance.html

So really, can someone please explain to me why we vote for or don't vote for, and allow our opinions to be swayed of said people based on said persons personality?
Leaving logical land... IT'S ABOUT THE GOD DAMNED ISSUES PEOPLE! NOT ABOUT THE PERSONALITY!

Because we are so much easily swayed by our emoutions than by logical arguments (NS General being proof positive of this).

Look at the commercials and campaigns attacking Henry Ford Jr.

What does it say essentially?

He's immoral.
Look at the subtext of those ads--it's more than "he's immoral." It's "here's this black man who's sleeping with white women. Are you proud white southerners gonna stand for that? Hang that nigga from the nearest tree!!!!!"

*snip*

Well said.

I don't care about "moral values" and "character." The important thing to me is the policies our politicians implement.

Now that I think about it, aren't almost all anti-whomever commercials really based off of the person's personality? Sure, there's the few that actually say "Oh. This guy flip-flops on issues so much!", but there's so many out there than only attack the person.

Ya know, it's sad. We used to be a nation that valued the ability to change ones mind. Ben Franklin and the Junto had a rule that no statement could be definitive. You couldn't say "It must be this way". Instead, you had to say "I supposed it could be" or "It would seem that". Emerson wrote that you should always speak your mind without concern for contradiction. Changing your mind was a good thing. It meant you were becoming educated and adjusting views based off of the real world. Today, it means you're a "flip flopper".

Why are we still voting based on the person?Because USAmericans have always favored appearance over substance. That is why they have a fake dome on their Capitol building.
.

You've got to consider, wherever a person stands on issues, if they're a douchebag, you probably don't want them running your country.