The endless campaign season is part of the reason people hate politics and don't turn out

[Fumesucker]

Even for those of us who are interested and engaged in politics the campaigns are long and sometimes difficult to take, for most of the general public they just want the stupid mudslinging crap to stop and for all the candidates to STFU. All most people can think of on election day is "Thank God it's over".

The M$M doesn't help things any, they loathe talking about policy and love talking about scandal no matter how tenuous or idiotic because scandal is what draws eyeballs and hence revenue while policy discussions motivate most of the public to frantically hit the channel button on their remote. By the time of the general a substantial segment of the public thinks all the candidates are sociopathic assholes who shouldn't be allowed to operate a dishwasher without adult supervision and I frankly can't blame them.

We have met the enemy and he is us.

[sufrommich]

1. I agree. k&r. nt

[LonePirate]

2. The vast amounts of money needed for the campaign also help lengthen the process.

Candidates need to fundraiser over two calendar years in order to be viable and maximize donations. This is another reason we need a public funding solution to the Citizens United problem.

[Vattel]

3. yep

[whatthehey]

4. How to reconcile that with a desire for more debates a year plus out?

[Aerows]

10. Easy: If your opponents are doing it

You need to be doing it, too, just for the sake of giving both parties ample opportunity to demonstrate the differences.

I know what you meant with this post, and I'm sure it was intended to be clever, but the simple fact is that it's Republicans 23/7 because each of them is getting a hell of a lot of exposure.

[Frustratedlady]

5. I also think that it would help to start a campaign, nationwide, to insist that all

congresscritters spend more time in session (have you seen next year's calendar?) rather than fundraising and speechifying at home. If their time is limited on fundraising, maybe that will cut down on all the bloviating on the campaign trail. Then, again, they'll probably figure out a way to run for office on "company" time.

How can they justify working so few days?

[Aerows]

9. We have people being paid exorbitant sums

to sit around doing absolutely nothing useful in Congress as it is, and you are absolutely right - they aren't doing the people's business.

They should be doing what they demand the average everyday American do - put their damn noses to the grindstone. Instead, they sit around advising how everybody should do more for less pay while the majority of them do as little as possible and vote themselves raises.

That really should chap the ass of the American people.

[Frustratedlady]

11. "That really should chap the ass of the American people."

Then why aren't they screaming, too? When you look at that chart going around about how many billion we are spending/day for corporations, banks, etc., it makes one ill. When I saw the chart for Ryan's new calendar for Congress, I could only shake my head in disbelief. I'm retired and I work harder than they can.

WHEN is the public going to get their fill and cause a ruckus?

[Aerows]

12. I don't FL.

I think things are coming to a head, though, because you cannot speak to anyone that you don't know and mention politics that they hate Hillary, have begrudging respect for Bernie, and would sacrifice body parts to keep from voting Jeb.

Your mileage may differ, but it is worth while to talk to people no matter what you are doing in the consumer space (fast food, dry cleaning, flu shot, giving blood, pumping gas, athletic endeavors, hair salon).

We have a tremendous amount of leverage if we get into conversations with people. Not pundits, not forum members, but people you speak face to face with. It's also an excellent opportunity to enlighten the folks that aren't engaging, because it helps them too, to overhear the platform.

And make no mistake - the middle class should be our platform, i.e. restoring it and helping other folks in our nation out of the quicksand so many are in.

[Persondem]

6. I agree but for one small detail .... it's never over. one cycle rolls straight into

the next.

In 2006 I got a resolution to the NCDP state convention that called for a shortening of the whole electoral process, limiting the amount of donations a candidate can get and reforming the primary process. It passed from county to district to state by enthusiastic voice votes.

The state convention tabled it. Gutless old dinosaurs spoke against it. They didn't even have the decency to give it an up or down vote. I since learned that their motion to table was out of order, but it was far too late.

American politics breeds from within. Even otherwise sensible democrats don't like have their "game" truncated.

And the bullshit continues.

[olddots]

7. the endless campaign is a revenue gold mine

for the corporations that want people to not vote .We are entertaining ourselves to death .

[Aerows]

8. I agree.

We shouldn't be in this fervent race to the "finish line" until way into next year.

Too much sniping. Let our damn government function and maybe give it about 6 months prior to the election before starting all of the hashing and rehashing. The last thing we need with such a dysfunctional Congress is more Reps and Sens not voting.

[aidbo]

13. It takes time to spend $2 billion, {or whatever the current estimate is.} nt