Our Un-Enlightenment

Let the slings and arrows begin to rain down on my hypocritical head. I didn’t watch the first presidential debate of 2008.

Seeing as how I allege to maintain a political blog, I can understand why my reader(s) would call me a phony or a fake for skipping out on the elections first real showdown. Your accusations are duly noted and subsequently tossed aside in indifference.

I didn’t skip the debates purposely. I honestly forgot about them. To me, debates do nothing more than provide a public forum for us to be force-fed half-truths and generic jargon. I’m worried about the economy because I would like employment to be a big part of my future. A presidential debate won’t alleviate that fear. I suppose it could be argued that, down the road, the debate may factor into our economic crisis.

No, it probably won’t. It’s as simple as that. How many elections do we have to sit through before we realize that what a candidate says rarely translates into real, effective action once he’s in the White House. Actions may help the economy once of these loggerheads is elected, but that remains to be seen.

I would also like to make clear the fact that, even if I’d remembered to watch the debate, I still would’ve skipped it. Civic irresponsibility, you claim? I doubt that. I’ll catch the abridged versions in the New York Times, on YouTube.com and I’ll even watch Fox News to get my info from all angles.

According to each of these outlets, I’ll be able to hear why the candidates’ supporters are sure their guy won and watch streaming video to support or refute the claims of each camp’s respective yes men.

I would not have watched the debate because they are boring. They put me to sleep. The prospect of a presidential debate is about as entertaining as an episode of “The Flavor of Love.”

I am completely apathetic to a debate’s outcome, and I firmly believe that an election should never rest upon the words spewed from behind a lectern by a candidate who is salivating for the highest office in the United States. They have incentive to stretch the truth to make us common folk hoot and holler, only to leave us high and dry when we realize their first 100 days as president amounted to little more than a sappy inauguration and a whole lot of thumb-twiddling.

I’m a full-time student, president of a student organization and I work two jobs totaling about 45 hours a week. When I do have free time, I’d rather study or party than be lied to.