Jack is a member of the Junior State of America (JSA), a student-run political awareness organization for high school students.
Presidential Debates are supposed to be informative. They are supposed to be a place where candidates elaborate on political platforms and differentiate themselves from their opponents through strong political stances. The debates are supposed to serve a last gauge of the candidates' ability, where candidates emphasize their beliefs, policies and strengths. Until this year. Instead of using the debate as a last platform to advertise their strengths, both campaigns used the debate as a tool to manipulate the American people.
When it came to education, President Obama told the American people that if he is re-elected, he will alleviate college debt. He never went into specifics. He told stories about how folks like him and Michelle understood the hardships laid out before college students. He told emotional, passionate, and heartwarming stories that were totally void of any evidence that his plans were economically feasible or that they will have a substantial affect on college students.
Not once was it mentioned that many professionals in the field see Obama's plan to alleviate college debt as financially irresponsible and borderline unconstitutional. Not once did Obama tell the audience where he was going to get the money to finance his plans. Instead of elaborating on his platforms, Obama just broadly breezed over his plans, only emphasizing the parts that would please the audience, and thus manipulating the American people.
Governor Romney was no better. He spoke about how Massachusetts had one of the best education systems in the country -- but failed to name specific policy proposals with which he would improve the education system. Romney spoke about the importance of giving teachers jobs, but failed to outline policy proposals that would get them jobs.
Both candidates told the American people what they wanted to hear instead of what they actually plan on doing when they take office. Instead of focusing on specifics, which could garner negative responses, candidates simply avoided taking any real political stances.
The same goes for their social security debate. Neither candidate acknowledged the magnitude of their plans. In fact, instead of publicizing their plans, they both downplayed the issue, hiding their true beliefs on the topic from the American people. Both campaigns twisted statistics about Obama Care to make their side look correct. Nothing was reliable.
This has been true of the campaigns since day one. Instead of treating the voters respectably, and offering legitimate reasons to vote, both campaigns simply spread political propaganda, exaggerations and lies, treating the American people like a bunch of idiots.
It's quite disheartening that the American presidential election is no longer about issues, but instead about manipulating the perceptions the American people. The only true losers of the debate were the American people, regardless of the winner of the election.