We are now in the midst of what has been called by many the most important presidential election in recent history. But in Hawai‘i we will have to form our judgments about the better choice remotely and indirectly. The major
We are now in the midst of what has been called by many the most important presidential election in recent history. But in Hawai‘i we will have to form our judgments about the better choice remotely and indirectly.
The major reason for our relative isolation is the presence of public opinion polls.
These are taken regularly by independent and not so independent agencies and by both political parties. At this writing, the polls have decided that the election will be relatively close and that there are “safe” Romney states and “safe” Obama states (Hawai‘i is considered a “safe” Obama state) and the election will be decided by the results from seven “battleground” states.
The impact of this poll mandated conclusion is that the candidates and the political powerhouses from both political parties will direct the bulk of their attention to the “battleground states.”
Candidate appearance in the “safe” states will be infrequent, if at all. The funds, energies, physical presence and advertisements of the parties will be focused primarily on the swing states.
While there will be limited opportunities for direct observations such as the debates, voters elsewhere — if motivated to try to make a thoughtful judgment — will need to try to do so mostly from sound bites or articles in a media that is mostly biased.
In Hawai‘i, insulated from the more active sound and fury of the campaign, many citizens will conclude the easiest course is simply to rationalize that their vote isn’t important and either fail to vote or take a a largely spectator role and vote in the presidential elections as they are traditionally oriented without giving the issues involved the conscientious care to which they should be entitled.
For those Hawaiians though who want to take a more responsible view, the facts about our federal government’s financial position are indisputable. Our nation is now $16 trillion in debt and over the past four years, our debt has increased each year by well over $1 trillion.
Unemployment has increased and remains stubbornly high. Our entitlement programs are grossly underfunded.
If our course is not corrected, we will surely incur staggering consequences. It may well be that the forthcoming election will be the last time our citizens will have to register with their government the message that the current path is unsustainable before the choice is out of our hands.
Several European countries, which have been making massive expenditures on social welfare programs and having critical revenue shortfalls, provide lucid illustrations of the dire difficulties resulting from this kind of improvidence.
The issues arising from these facts are non-partisan and self-evident. The proposed solutions to these issues will be the partisan element. Voters have not heard our president offer a program that will restore our economy and our fiscal delinquency to health.
To date, Mr. Obama has not addressed limitations on spending and his pronouncements to raise taxes on high income individuals and to reform the tax code cannot reasonably be expected to achieve the new direction we need.
Unless he changes his position fundamentally, many thoughtful people will necessarily conclude that he will not lead us to fiscal responsibility.
Will Mr. Romney offer real prospects to rejuvenate our economy and address our national deficit? While he has outlined his intention to restore solvency in our entitlement programs and a recognition of the need to add jobs and bring deficits to an end, the details of his program are yet unstated.
If we lived in a “battleground state” we would have a better chance to make an appraisal on the viability of these expressions.
Relying on media articles and sound bites from television commentators is not the prime way to be informed.
Another important issue will be the candidates philosophy on the role of government. Mr. Obama favors a more expansive role while Mr. Romney favors a more restrictive role. It will be difficult here to learn the dimensions of the candidates views as the media does not perform well in examining ideas.
Other issues will, of course, be present in the campaign. But the paramount ones will be the economy and the deficit.
It may be of value to know your candidate’s views on matters such as abortion and same sex marriage but the nation’s well being do not basically depend on them. In politics, as well as in life, it pays to keep your attention on what really matters.
So far we have not gone over the “fiscal cliff” but it looms in our immediate future. I would hope that present day Americans would have the moral integrity to act to prevent future generations from having to deal with our improvidence.
One potentially mitigating factor to the “safe” state cloud that overhangs Hawai‘i is that hopefully that will allow our voters to devote greater attention to the Congressional, and state and local candidates and measures. These elections are important to our future also.
It is to be regretted that we do not have an election system that will assure an electorate that is all well and fairly informed and motivated to participate.
• Walter Lewis is a resident of Princeville and writes a biweekly column for The Garden Island.
