Beyond the Byline: By all means, vote!

WILKES-BARRE — Tuesday brings what nearly every political pundit has termed “the most consequential election in American history.”

And they are correct — for so many reasons.

That said, the great thing about this country is that it holds free and open elections and, really, anyone can become President — or Governor, or Congressman, or Senator, or Mayor, or serve on a town council or school board.

All each candidate needs is more votes than their opponents.

That’s where we all come in — we hold the power to elect who we want to serve us in every elective office.

But we have to be motivated to get off the couch or out of that comfy recliner and head to the polls.

And the best motivation I can offer is that after Tuesday, Nov. 5, those annoying, repetitive TV ads will stop!

At least until the next election cycle.

I mean, how much are we expected to take? How do these political attack ads help voters decide who to vote for? All they seem to be are constant venomous attacks on the other candidates.

How about you try a novel approach — tell us why we should vote for you, not why we shouldn’t vote for your opponents?

It’s not like we don’t have a lot of issues to address here.

What will you do to lower grocery prices, or create new high-paying jobs, or protect our rights, strengthen our military, improve the education system, cut taxes — especially for the elderly — keep us safe, stop inflation, help our farmers, strengthen law enforcement and on and on and on.

These are difficult times, for sure. We need leadership, not mean TV ads that tell us nothing about a candidate’s substance.

So what can we expect to come out of Tuesday’s General Election? Well, we can almost guarantee that voter turnout will be extremely high, as it usually is when a new President is to be decided.

As important as that is, we will also be choosing who represents us in Congress and in the state legislature. These decisions are just as critical to our daily lives and to our futures.

Back in the day, elections were considered to be critical, and voting was always not just a privilege but a duty. So when a primary or general election arrived, the lines were long at the polls. Voters turned out to be a part of the process — to have their votes counted. And there were always meaningful discussions — sometimes quite spirited — leading up to the elections. People discussed candidates and they exchanged thoughts on who they favored and why — and nobody got hurt.

And all those discussions were done without fear. Nobody was afraid to voice their opinion on who they intended to vote for, and their opinions were respected. Nobody was ever demeaned or threatened simply because they disagreed with another’s opinion.

But where does one go to find unbiased and accurate information about candidates? Well, like my Uncle Jim once said decades ago, “Don’t trust the media.” And that was in the days of Walter Cronkite and Huntley and Brinkley and John Chancellor and before CNN, MSNBC, FOX News, and all those other “news outlets.” Today, it really does appear that everybody has an agenda. Gone are the “fair and balanced” accounts of stories, especially when it comes to politics.

Back then, opinions were found on the editorial page — now they seem to be in bylines. True fair and accurate reporting appears to be a thing of the past. More and more we see “news stories” laced with opinions and biased slants.

Voters have to find a way that goes far beyond “Googling” a name or issue. There has to be a way, don’t you think? It’s just that in 2024, everything has been exaggerated and the recipe has been tainted with toxic ingredients, misrepresentations, out-and-out lies at times and what comes out of the oven is not even half-baked. It’s a dish that we really shouldn’t eat, but what choice do we have?

The political process is rife with irreverence and disrespect. There is no toleration of opposing views. And these bold and brash shows of total disregard for another’s views or beliefs has sent many well-intentioned voters and candidates to the far reaches of the planet — never-to-be-heard-from-again.

Look, maybe the way things had gone on for far too long haven’t always been the best for the country. But if a new guy with a new idea comes along to buck the system, they should be heard and considered. Not unceremoniously dismissed. And certainly not treated in a manner unfit for a civilized society.

No matter what side of the political spectrum you stand on, the process has deteriorated to the point where we are not even getting the best candidates to run for positions that affect us all.

This has to change. We have to return to a level of civility where we can accept opposing views and we can tolerate the time it takes for them to be heard — without interruption and without those venomous attacks.

I have always said one side can’t be right all the time.

Let’s all take our political process seriously.

And start by going to the polls and casting your vote.