Politics? Same song, different day.

Have you watched any TV at all lately? I mean, have you even turned it on recently? If you have, you’ve likely caught a GOP candidate debate being conducted, rehashed or picked apart. Is it my imagination, or are these guys debating more this time around than we’ve ever been treated to before? It seems as though there’s a new debate every 8 hours or so.

Now I get, even admire, working hard for votes. I do. I love this country and its machinations. Hard work, convictions and millions of dollars can take an ordinary person all the way to the top of the governmental food chain in the U.S. You have to love that.

Didn’t they call traveling and speaking to crowds along the rail “stumping” a long time ago? I believe that term came from the fact that the candidate would stand on a stump so that everyone in the crowd could see him while he spoke.

Today, I suppose the “stump” is CNN or FOX or whatever network airs a debate. I have actually watched a few of them; after that, the rhetoric and banter all started to sound alike to me. I still haven’t decided which GOP candidate will be my pick, because I have yet to hear one whom I believe can defeat Barack Obama next fall. I’m still waiting. There’s too much bickering and finger-pointing, and it seems as though the party is in a bit of disarray. I hope we fix that, and soon. I hope we put forth a candidate that the entire support can support. Divided (as we all know) we fall.

Anyway, If we could take Mitt’s hair and business savvy, Newt’s ego and attitude, Santorum’s “aw shucks” boyish good looks and Paul’s anger and roll them all up into one candidate (maybe throw in one of Hillary’s pantsuits for good measure), that might be a winner.

It seems to me that, instead of these guys making valid arguments as to why they’d be the best man to lead this nation out of the mess we're in, they spend the bulk of their time pointing out the other guys’ failings. And shortcomings. And dirty deals and affairs and lapses in judgment.

I know, that’s the nature of politics. It’s a dirty business, no matter whether it’s local or national. You can’t climb to the top of any heap without stepping on other people to get there. However, I think I may have a solution.

I say we demand a candidate reality show. Put them all on an island with a jar of peanut butter and a ball of string, winner take all. Or make them all live in the same house together for a few months, sharing bathrooms and household chores. Or simply install cameras in each of their homes, just to see how they behave when there’s not a moderator, cameras and bright lights. Think a hybrid show, made up of “Jersey Shore,” “Survivor” and “Dance Moms.”

The candidates could stump for free; in fact millions of dollars would be generated from advertising, all of which could be put toward our staggering national debt. I mean, every little bit helps, right?

Do you watch every debate that takes place? Are you hearing anything new, and have you seen a credible front runner yet?

Carole Townsend is also a Gwinnett Daily Post staff correspondent and author of the recently-released book, “Southern Fried White Trash.” The book takes a humorous look at families and how we behave when thrown together for weddings, funerals and holidays. She has been quoted on msnbc.com, in the LA Times and the Christian Science Monitor, been featured on FOX 5 News and CNN, and is often a guest on radio shows nationwide.

Politics is a dirty business.

November elections are barreling down upon us, and the rumbling – the dance – began weeks, even months, ago. The dance to which I refer involves chest-beating, finger-pointing, innuendo, and a little term I heard years ago called “information massaging.”  I love that. In the political arena, it’s a campaign manager’s other term for “bending the truth.”

Of course, not every public figure engages in these practices. In fact, I like to think that most do not. But it doesn’t take many of those who do to spoil the process, the outcome and the consequences for everyone.

I have always been fascinated by politics, even more so by politicians. This fascination does not stem from a desire to someday seek public office myself; rather, it stems from my black-and-white, right-and-wrong view of the world. I admire those who seek to truly serve the public, and I am constantly amazed and disappointed by those who seek to manipulate the public for their own personal gain.

James Freeman Clarke hit the nail on the head when he said, “A politician thinks of the next election. A statesman, of the next generation.” Smart man, since it’s usually the next generation who picks up the tab for the previous generation’s choices. And let me say it again: I have the utmost respect for those who serve keeping their fellow humans at the forefront of their motivations (whether they be neighbors, city or county residents, state residents or U.S. residents).

The benefit of most of my years of experience is limited to local politics. I am not a political reporter, but I do enjoy the privilege of covering city council meetings for several Gwinnett cities. Over the 7+ years I have observed local politics, I have seen some remarkable things from candidates and voters alike.

I have seen flowers planted in a toilet in order to make a political statement. There are too many jokes and punch lines there to explore. I have heard of campaign signs being stolen, anonymous letters with false accusations sent to voters, leading conversations being recorded, dubbed and shared, and flat-out lies being presented as the truth. In other words, by my black-and-white way of thinking, I have seen some people stop at nothing for the sole purpose of obtaining a position of power (and if you think political offices at the local level don’t carry a measure of power and influence, think again).

If political figures would just stick to the issues, campaigns and elections would look more like what our forefathers had in mind. I always have to ask the question, “If underhanded practices are necessary for a candidate to win, why? If attacking an opponent on a personal level rather than on their stance on the issues, why?” And by my black-and-white way of thinking, the answer is simple. Diversion. Smoke and mirrors. Sleight of hand. Cool if you’re David Copperfield; not so cool if you’re going to be making decisions about my money, property rights and community.

I urge each of you to become involved in politics at the local level. Educate yourself by attending local council meetings. Matters ranging from tax rates to what you can do with your own home and yard are decided there. You’ll be amazed at what you learn about your community, and further amazed to learn that you can influence governmental policy that affects you and your family. You will also meet some extraordinary people.

I also urge you to vote in the upcoming local elections. Meet the candidates. Talk to them about what matters to you and your neighbors. If the candidate is an incumbent, look at his or her voting record. Find out about previous campaign promises and whether they were fulfilled, or at least fought for.

Think about it. If you don’t vote, do you have the right to complain about actions taken by your elected officials?

I've had just about all the "change" I can stand.

Let's see...how do I say this without sounding too politically jaded? I believe I recall hearing a young, brash Illinois senator stand before the American people a couple of years ago and promise change. Groundbreaking, mind-boggling, in-your-face CHANGE like the fat bureaucrats and politicians of the Republican variety had been trying to deny us for years.

"Oh goody!" America answered. "Where do we sign up for this Change??? Oh in the voting booth, OK I see." And America voted for Change. Well I for one have had my fill of it. Let me see if I can outline some of the change with which my family and I have been blessed:

1) I paid $3 98 a gallon for gas this morning. That's a pretty impressive change. No natural disaster or shortage has caused the prices to jump. The oil companies have colluded, all of them saying "hey we're afraid of what might happen in the middle east, so we're gonna gouge consumers." Wonder if I could get writers to collude on the same premise. After all, it's understandable. The middle east has always been such a stable region.
2)  My husband just got a notification from Blue Cross/Blue Shild that they are AGAIN hiking our insurance rates, to the point that we'll each be paying $500/month, more or less, for less-than-mediocre coverage. So that's a change. I do feel good about the fact that I get to help provide free health care for millions of illegals though. That rocks.
3) Georgia's HOPE scholarship, promised to our young people for 20 years, has been cut. On the upside though, illegal immigrants are welcome to attend Georgia's universities. Now let me see, if they lie about their immigration status, I can rest assured that they've been honest about their economic situation, right? And that they're paying their own way, as they are known to do?
4)  We own a small business - 2 actually, since I am a freelance writer - and we are being taxed literally to death. Not really a change; it's just gotten worse.
5)  As a result of the first Change I listed, my grocery bill has increased exponentially. So have most of our others. So that's pretty cool.
6) In this crappy economy, we have been robbed/burglarized/stolen from, on average, about every 6 months, to the tune of several thousands each time it happens. So please, let's relax the immigration laws if that's at all possible. That'd be an awesome change. I know you're doing your best to do just that, Mr. Change. And don't even start whining about racial profiling. A woman calling herself LINDA VASQUEZ RAMIREZ cashed one of the checks she stole from me, so I assume she wasn't African-American or Irish.

Now I've had some people offer the opinion that this horrible economy has driven people who wouldn't normally steal, to steal. Bull. It's either in your character or it isn't. I promise you, if we lose our incomes altogether tomorrow, I will not steal from you.

In short, this country is carpeted with wall-to-wall stupid, from the upstairs on down to the basement. As ridiculous as this may sound, I am not a racist. I do not believe one is smarter or dumber based on race. I do not believe one race is better than another for any reason. But I'd be a fool not to believe what I see every day. There was a news story last night about welfare dollars being spent on alcohol, strippers and luxury golf outings. My son has a bona fide disability, and for 3 years I fought the system to try to get him some help - ANY help. Nothing. What the hell is wrong with that picture folks? I wrote my state representative and asked, if my son leaves the country and sneaks back in, THEN can he get some help? I'm still waiting for his response.

I think it's time to throw the politicians out with the bath water.