Telling the truth
American obsession with shiny things
Michelle Bryant
Michelle Bryant
Working in politics teaches you a lot about people. If you pay attention, you read the mood, you know when to speak and when to let your guard down. You learn what resonates and what doesn't in messaging about your issues. You also learn the inconvenient truth that many of us value content over appearance. We are a superficial species, and we elevate others with beauty, money, status, and perceived perfection. Let me illustrate what I mean with an example.
A few years ago, there was a candidate in Wisconsin with a speech impediment. After meeting him, I remember thinking, “Great guy, solid record, but he's not going to win.” His way of speaking required the listener to be careful and patient while talking to him. You had to lean in to understand his words. If you overheard him speaking, you might mistake his speech impediment for a cognitive delay. Unfortunately, he won't be judged on his many accomplishments or qualifications. He will be judged on much more superficial criteria. As voters, we can be lazy, unforgiving, and easily persuaded by shiny things and people. The recent presidential debates are a perfect example.
The highly anticipated showdown between President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump was a shock to everyone. Whereas Trump was scripted, insincere, bombastic, delusional, etc., Biden's slow and confusing moments sent the country and the Democratic Party into a frenzy. Questions about age and competence came out of the mouths of political pundits, party loyalists, and of course haters. For 90 minutes, all these people were trying to distract from three and a half years of historic achievements. But if you listened carefully and listened carefully, you would have heard the most substantive comment of the entire debate.
Topics included abortion, the January 6 attack, the economy and Trump's conviction. Biden made clear the mess left as the country battles COVID-19. Biden reiterated his commitment to reducing the costs of everyday life for Americans and bringing in the financial resources needed to address everything from infrastructure to small businesses. Protecting democracy is the topic he has been most vocal about, of course, and it is the one that is most in need of rigorous review.
Democracy as we know it today is changing. Like quicksand, the ground is crumbling and past victories are slowly fading. As a people, we cannot continue to be drawn to carnival barkers, glittering things, and grand promises. We must resist the urge to be lazy voters. We must honestly research and evaluate candidates’ work histories. Social media posts cannot be our only source of information. Only by truly examining what is at stake can we make choices based on the overall needs of our country. William Shakespeare once said, “Not all that glitters is gold.” Less elegantly, I would say, “Not all that stumbles is bad.”
