A MODEST PROPOSAL

After incessant months of campaign rhetoric I am compelled to comment, because I know we have almost a year more of such persiflage, hyperbole and just plain bullshit to endure before the 2012 elections. I think it a tragic waste of time, talent and treasure to endure this lengthy political rite of passage every two to four years. I realize that the candidates need to perform, to show off their expertise (or lack thereof), and to attempt to convince the voters of their unique qualifications for office. It is particularly painful when a Presidential election is at hand. The Republican debates are a case in point; how long must we suffer this process of self-expression to be followed by an interminable series of primaries.

I believe we are the only nation in the world to make the Presidential electoral process last almost two years. Of course, I should admit, a lot of the world does not have an electoral process, so we should be grateful for this manifestation of democracy in action. In the U.K. and France, for example, the electoral process takes no more than three months. Now I realize, geographically, we have a much greater area and population to cover, but surely we could do it in, say, nine months. After all, nine months is the normal gestation period, so it would be reasonable, if you can whelp in that time, to produce a winning candidate in that time from that great womb of politics. Think of the time and money we could save, not to mention the peace and quiet we could anticipate by this abridged process.

Another thing, while I’m on a roll: why not push for an amendment to the Constitution to lengthen the term in the House of Representatives from two to four years? In reality, members of the House spend one year working (reputedly) and the second year running for office, in reality. Maybe this way we could get three good years out of their legislative effort.

I don’t want to set the world on fire, as the old song says, but I would like to start a small bonfire under the pants of our political candidates. I believe it would restore some reasonableness to the process and free up time for achieving the end game of politics called governing and enacting legislation. Do you remember that process? I think I do, barely.