informed citizen

The antidote to all of the canddiate's hype is the informed citizen. But don't look to our print or electronic media to be a useful resource. They are content to keep score, read polls, report gaffes, read more polls, and express opinions about the cause of changing poll numbers. In other words, they are entertainment - not resources. The questions posed of candidates during interviews and debates are intended to create a gotcha moment and are too often just silly.

Our media folks stand in our place, in the candidate's presence, to ask about war and peace, our tattered finances, and all the important issues a new president will face. Instead of challenging the candidates to tell us how they will deal with Putin, Iran and China, with nearly $10 trillion in debt, with the challenge of restoring the justice department's morale and effectiveness - we have a hand-raising moment.

We need better information and a strong dose of real analysis. Research needs to go far beyond "did you mean what you said when you said this". Enough already. It's time for this small club of hacks to live up to the first amendment role reserved for the press in the Constitution. The country deserves nothing less.