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October 22 - October 28, 2016
Commentary
www.ladatanews.com
A Mockery of Democracy 3
Mainstream Media Goes Tabloid, Grope-gate, Wikileaks and
the Decline of Serious Discourse in American Politics
By Edwin Buggage
Editor, Data News Weekly
Tabloid Coverage of the
Presidential Election
If we look at this election and
what are the main issues that’s
been covered by the mainstream
media and being discussed by
the American people, it resembles
a bad soap opera plot, tabloid
headline or reality show. We
must ask ourselves as the nation
is involved in a war on terror, a
troubled economy, racial bias in
law enforcement, immigration
and lack of quality education for
many in this country that the focus
is on Hillary Clinton emails
and the latest tweet by Donald
Trump and not the issues facing
the American people. What
do these things say about us as
a nation to ourselves and those
around the world who see us as
a global leader?
Democracy Reconsidered
As I have spoken with people
from across the globe about
this election cycle, they are asking
me what is going on in your
country. I can only say that many
things have happened in the last
eight years that we have come
to what is a low point in political
discourse in this country. Something
that is sometimes akin to
a third world country and not a
mature democracy like the United
States. As evidenced by Donald
Trump in a recent debate
with Hillary Clinton where he
threatened to if he is victorious
to lock her up, it is a sad time for
this country where sometimes
it seems we are on the verge of
mob rule in this nation. But as I
say this conversely, I feel we are
on the right path and simply experiencing
growing pains. I believe
we are continuing to make
great steps forward in widening
the lanes of democracy for all of
its citizens and the United States
is still an example for the world
to follow in many respects to
how we function as a nation.
On a positive note I would go
further and say our political divide
as portrayed by the traditional
media and on social media
does not mirror where we are
as a nation in the 21st Century.
That we have made giant steps
in our history as a nation. And
if we are to move further in this
great experiment, I feel it is important
that we during this election
cycle focus on the more serious
issues of whether Hillary
Clinton or Donald Trump wins,
when we go out and vote we ask
ourselves who is best suited to
govern and not get bogged down
by the politics of personality. Because
this election is not a popularity
contest, it is not Dancing
with the Stars, The Apprentice,
or American Idol, but who will
be the leader of the free world
and there is a level of seriousness
that is necessary for this
job and it is something we as voters
must take in consideration
when making this choice.
What is America’s Big
Idea in the 21st Century?
Even though we live in an age
where scandal sells newspapers
and glues viewers to the television
and have them engaging in
discussions on social media, it
does not get to the core of what
makes this nation great. It is our
continued focus on the larger
questions for our society and the
big ideas for what the role of the
United States will be in a changing
global world.
That is not to minimize some
of the things that have come out
and are covered in media, but to
concentrate on the salacious and
not the substantive does not get
us any closer to making a great
country greater and relevant
in a changing world. But what
it does effectively is it makes
America seem small in a world
that is looking to it for leadership
on the issues that we all
face across the globe.
The Quality of a Leader:
Substance More
Important than Style
As we examine both candidates
we ask ourselves who has the maturity
and temperament best suited
to lead? For example, in a more
serious way can Donald Trump
spend more time discussing his
plans for the economy or how will
he work with Congress or our
global partners to fight terror.
These are the things the American
people need to be hearing
from him instead of fighting with
Gold Star Families or a former Miss
Universe, the media or engaged
in childish name calling of anyone
who doesn’t agree with him.
During this cycle Clinton admittedly
has been more substantive
than her opponent; but she must
stay above the fray and protect the
high ground if she is to effectively
govern in the event she wins the
election. Because it is important
that after November 8, 2016, we
must be able to as a nation move
on and get down to the business of
continuing down the road of being
the greatest democracy the world
has ever known.
The United States and its
Future on the Global Stage
But as we move forward we
must realize we are far from a
perfect nation, but we must continue
to march in the direction
we have charted throughout our
storied history if we are to be relevant
on the world stage in the
21st Century. So it is important
that we get back to discussing the
issues that matter in a more intelligent
serious manner. It is essential
if we want to continue to be a
global leader and our rhetoric cannot
simply be about making only
America great, but humanity with
us leading by example.
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