Did you see the Hillary Clinton Christmas ad? It was the absolute worst of all the candidates’ holiday messages — but it illustrates a flaw in all the candidates, one that is destroying American politics.
In the ad, Hillary is sitting by the Christmas tree, putting the finishing touches on her presents. There’s one labeled “Universal Health Care.” There’s another: “Alternative Energy.” There’s a box tagged “Bring Troops Home” and another “Middle Class Tax Breaks.” But Hillary can’t find one present. “Where’s “Universal Pre-K,” she muses. She finds the box and places it under the tree.
All is well. Christmas will come after all this year.
Yes, we are to believe, all these things are “gifts” that the beneficient Hillary will bestow upon us should we honor her with our votes.
This is what I like to call “the politics of giving people stuff.” It used to be the exclusive practice of the Democratic Party but now both parties practice it with equal fervor. The grab bag of treats differs only in quality, not quantity.
Of course, none of these things is a gift. They are policy proposals, some of which come with huge price tags. You and I will get the bills.
Political debate no longer focuses on differences of principle or philosophy. It’s now a comparison of the shopping cart of “gifts” each candidate has to offer. It’s pushing together the two main parties, Republicans and Democrats, into a shapeless blob. And it’s bankrupting the country.
I don’t want to know what a politician plans to “give” me. I want to know what principles he or she stands for.
Gifts? Forget them. Which way to the returns desk?
