My youngest daughter is pragmatically deciding whether to continue college or rather to get certified in an area that interests her. She is part of a generation that knows that college attendance and education are not necessarily synonymous. In her experience and that of her siblings, they are frequently polar opposites. For this reason, she is weighing student debt vs. the repercussions of not getting a B.A., rather than knowledge vs. ignorance.
My tongue-in-cheek career suggestion this weekend is that she set herself up as a political advisor. After both Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich gave speeches which pretty much shot themselves in the ballot box immediately after announcing their candidacies, it is clear that there is a need for wise guidance. Being out of touch with voters is a bipartisan failing. Did no one suggest to the Obamas that many Americans find certain lyrics offensive and that perhaps kicking off a campaign season by inviting the rapper, Common, to the White House was not going to endear them to swing voters?
I have never been invited to be part of a political focus group but I have noticed that no presidential Republican candidate who has not won my support has won an election. While I admired some of them, such as Bob Dole, as individuals, I thought that he and a number of more recent candidates would not make good presidents. Unfortunately for the Republican party, I don’t find that the fact that their opponents will do more damage to the country a compelling reason to donate to, canvass for, or even vote for their nominee.
So far, certain music titles seem to fit this election cycle. President Obama personifies singer Toby Keith’s, “I Want to Talk About Me,” and the Republican side is dominated by those who can share as their own slogan Dierks Bentley’s, “What Was I Thinking?” Surely, there’s someone who can strike a more inspiring note, perhaps Train’s song title, “I’m About to Come Alive.”
