When A Boring Election Cycle Was Great
What we thought we knew, we really didn’t. What we judged as potentially raucous wasn’t even close. And I miss those days.
As the 2024 presidential election looms on the horizon, there is a sense of uncertainty that seems to hold the nation. The political landscape, already fraught with division and discord, seems poised to plunge into unprecedented chaos. And your particular political persuasion really doesn’t matter…most people are getting tired of the chaos.
In 2000, we had Gore v. Bush, that ended up in the Supreme Courts of Florida and the United States. In 2008, the country experienced the issues of Obama vs. McCain as financial crisis began. Obama and Romney headlined 2012. And then there was the surprise of 2016 with Clinton and Trump. Each seemed edgy in terms of verbiage, partisanship, and acrimony.
We did not realize those were the good old days.
In 2024, we have old man vs. a bad man. Neither inspires the country about the future. Neither is the first choice of most Americans. And it will only get worse over the next six months.
Compounding this volatility is the rise of misinformation and disinformation, reproduced through social media and other channels. Truth becomes increasingly elusive, drowned out by the noise of competing narratives and alternative facts. Meanwhile, the specter of foreign interference looms possible, casting an over the electoral. Cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, and other covert tactics sow seeds of doubt and suspicion, undermining faith in the democratic system itself.
Campaigns devolve into mudslinging spectacles, characterized by personal attacks and scandalmongering rather than substantive policy debate. And we have problems. Immigration, inflation, social security, the debt, the deficit, and foreign entanglements…and these are only just some of the issues.
But I am not downtrodden on America…not because of this election. If you study history, this presidential cycle is not even the worst one seen in our history.
One of the most contentious elections was in 1828, which pitted incumbent President John Quincy Adams against Andrew Jackson. This election is remembered for its bitter personal attacks, particularly targeting Jackson and his wife Rachel.
Jackson's opponents, including supporters of Adams, attacked his character, labeling him as a violent and lawless man. They brought up his actions as a military leader, including his involvement in duels and his execution of deserters during the War of 1812. Additionally, they attacked Rachel Jackson, questioning the legitimacy of her marriage to Jackson and accusing her of bigamy due to a technicality involving her divorce from her first husband.
In retaliation, Jackson's supporters launched their own vicious attacks, accusing Adams of corruption and elitism. They portrayed him as out of touch with the common people and as someone who had benefited unfairly from his position as the son of a former president.
The election of 1828 is often seen as a turning point in American politics, marking the rise of mass political participation and the emergence of a more populist style of campaigning. The mudslinging and personal attacks of this election set a precedent for future campaigns, shaping the nature of American political discourse in the years to come.
Maybe this election might become a turning point as well…for better candidates worthy of trust, a view to the future with tough but workable solutions and putting the average American back to the center of the hope that is a hallmark of our great country. Here is hoping 2028 is a little more boring and inspiring for all of us.
