It’s a four round bout in 2012. Three more opportunities to catch Barack Obama and Mitt Romney at the opposing podiums, exchanging pleasantries, congratulations and allowing their inner monologue to run away with thoughts of the other tripping desperately over their own tongue.
There were no trips this evening, though Mitt Romney seemed very well prepared, and spoke a lot about legislative issues. Same with President Barack Obama. A lot of chatter about taxes and crap–things presidents have no real power over. Influence? Sure. But, we’ve seen how effectual influence has been over the past 12 years.
The pundits, including the news networks that have traditionally leaned toward Obama, also offered objective props to Romney after debate number one. But you gotta ask yourself: Does it matter? Honestly? Sure. If you’re going to vote for Romney, it makes you feel a little better about voting for him…even though he’s going to lose. Nah. Don’t call me a liberal. Don’t call me anything. Just know that I trust the Vegas odds makers more than any political pundit or preliminary poll.
These debates are just another symptom of the American disease. Our obsession with style over substance, a dog and pony show vs. a good conversation over a home cooked meal. We’re sitting on top of a financial system that is based on arbitrary imaginings of a bank that people believe the government owns…just because it has the word “Federal” in the title.
I don’t hear Barack or Mitt talking about how our financial system, which has been in place for 99 years, and is roughly designed to sustain for approximately 100 years, is going to continue to thrive. Clearly, it is–and has been–floundering for quite some time. But so long as we think our tax rates and brackets are the most important thing to consider in this election, we’ll continue on a trend of frustration.
But. At least these two guys have the opportunity to debate about it! Or not.
