Where’s the Beef???
The VP debate in St. Louis was fun to watch. A seasoned veteran of Washington up against an up and coming phenomenon from Alaska makes for good entertainment. From my perspective, I feel it’s safe to say neither side definitively won the debate, not unlike the presidential debate. They were very cordial with each other, as expected, and both commended each other at various times for various achievements or viewpoints.
Entertainment aside, the debates so far are lacking meat. I have yet to hear any substantive policy discussion from either side. Both sides talk about how they envision the future but fail to illustrate just how they plan on making their vision a reality.
Obama has proposed $800 billion in new programs if elected. He has not, to my knowledge, explained how he plans on paying for such programs during a time of economic struggle in America. McCain is just as guilty. He’s riding the age old conservative fall back of deregulation. The same deregulation that some say has gotten our economy in the mess it is in.
The campaign season is so long, and I feel as if I’ve been hearing the same rhetoric for 18 months now. I can only hope, for the sake of the democracy itself, that at least one of the next two debates digs into the real issues and the candidates give real answers.
