Now that Labor Day is behind us, and the Republican Party Nominating Convention has started (and the Democratic National Convention has already been), let's concede the obvious: the silly season is about to descend upon us. I'm not sure how they sort out who holds the first nominating convention or when it's held (or why, come to think of it).
What do you think: Coin flip, 'call it in the air'? 'I have a number in my head, can you guess it?' How about 'rock, paper, scissors'? There's a method to this madness right? I mean how did the Thirteen Colonies, struggling in the immediate aftermath of defeating the world's most powerful nation in order to be free and realizing this Articles of Confederation jazz just wasn't cutting the mustard (sorry, Sam Huntington, the statesman and NOT the other one, and Bill Stanley) and creating the Constitution and Bill of Rights, sort out all this political party stuff and get the show on the road? It's not like "Houston, we have liftoff" because back then, we didn't have a Houston (Whitney or otherwise).
From 1789 until now, and every time in between we have had a presidential election it costs money. Many, if not most of us, will not necessarily get our primary information on any of the candidates running for the Office of President from news sources or family and friends but will, rather, be bombarded with sponsored messages, advertising, of all sorts.
I came across a discussion the other day that speculated by this Election Day, just the Democrats and the Republicans will have spent 'about' three billion (American) dollars in advertising. In essence, about ten bucks a pop for each of us across the amber waves of grain through the purple mountains' majesty, above the fruited plain (do NOT go there, leave it be). When you add in all the other folks running, it's probably another buck three eighty, so I'm comfortable with a ten spot a piece.
In my house, ten bucks is dinner where you talk into the clown's head with some change that goes jingle, jangle, jingle as I go rolling merrily along. My beautiful German wife, and her mad math skills looks at this kind of news story this way: show me the money. To her way of thinking, and stay with me on this, the difference between ten dollars you have in your pocket and ten dollars you don't have, is really twenty dollars. It sounds a little bit like I will gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today, but as it turns out, that is how we're managing the National Deficit (I had not seen that memo).
The more I think about three billion dollars and the amount of head noise it will pay for that will make each us crazy, the more convinced I am that I can build a nationwide movement that tells politicians, 'stop paying for ads-put the money in my hand' and we'll have the best democracy money can buy. Disclaimer: all sales are final, no refunds or exchanges.
-bill kenny
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