Not Such A Brilliant Idea

In "Let's Apply 'American Idol' Rules to Politics" James Shea wrote about how Americans are so direct and upfront about most situations. He began his column by saying, "Americans, by nature, are a direct people. We'll tell you if we like you. We'll tell you if we don't like you." He brought up reality television, specifically American Idol, and described how if the judges and later on the viewers do not like someone, Americans just go ahead and tell them. This process is quick. Shea believes that this simple process should be applied to the presidential elections.

I do not agree with Shea at all. There is a huge difference between American Idol and a presidential election. American Idol might upset a few die-hards, but they can deal with it. Presidential elections affect the future of America. Careful consideration needs to take place in order for people to make the right decision. Maybe it is not the exact purpose, but all the primary elections and speeches allow citizens to get to know the candidate. I would not want to vote for someone after reading about them for just a month or two. I like to see how they respond to issues as the year progresses. Getting to know people takes time, and I for one would like to know every detail I could possibly know before placing a person in charge of my country.

This column would be interestingly written if it were directed to an audience full of politicians. To them the long process probably makes all the sense in the world, so Shea would have a difficult time putting up a convincing argument. I would first change the tone of the article. I do not think the sarcastic tone would be appreciated or taken seriously by a politician or a politically involved person. I would keep Shea's list of political events, because that puts how much time an election actually takes into a new perspective. I would probably add in a few paragraphs about the inconvenience of the long process and a more clear definition of how it might be changed. I would point out specific places in the previous list that I feel could be removed from the process or shortened. After I proposed my changes, I would describe how this would better the nation as a whole. A politician would want the issue presented and then be able to clearly see how it will be made better. Most politicians, or at least the good ones, would want to see a plan.