The Pop-Up Plan

A few years ago, very late at night, I flipped on a TV show that was painful to watch. It was a reality show that followed a couple going out on a blind date. Throughout the entire show, little pop-up balloons would appear to reveal small but significant facts. For instance, when the guy told his date, "I'm a consultant," a pop-up might appear that said, "Bill has been unemployed for 5 months." It was a horribly inappropriate show.

"So why bring it up?" you ask.

I bring it up because I was wishing the people who produced that show would use their energy to produce the presidential debates. I was so wanting to see pop-up balloons that revealed the TRUTH as they each made their claims. Honestly, who can decipher anything from the "He voted 47 times against such and such" business. Why can't politicians answer questions directly? It is so hard NOT to become cynical!

The boys had a homework assignment during one of the debates, in which they had to write down the question that was asked and then each candidates' answer to that question. It was a torturous assignment, because as you know, politicians don't answer the questions in a debate. They just say whatever they want. My poor kids were traumatized, trying their best to do the assignment, but struggling to figure out what in the world to write down on their worksheets.

Oooo! I have an idea: Let's hook up the candidates to lie detectors while they debate! That would be fun. And have the moderator ask the same question over and over until the candidates give actual answers. We could offer bonus votes to the politician who tells the most truths and answers the most questions.

I really do love politics, but I long for transparency. I am thankful to live in a democracy, but I ache for a straight answer. I have not lost all hope in the system, but I am disappointed in how hard it is to find out what a candidate really believes.

Am I whining? I guess I am. I'm sorry. I'll get over it.

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