We all lost this election season

OK, the election is over and we all lost. No, this is not a comment on the slate of candidates who won. This is a comment on the process by which the candidates “inform” voters about their qualifications for office.

Moe than $1 billion was spent on TV ads that were filled with misrepresentations, distortions and lies. One need only visit the numerous fact-check websites to see how truth was compromised in the pursuit of political power.

American voters were not enlightened by these ads. They were misled. Both candidates and their PACs are guilty of praying on the gullibility of the American electorate, but because pollsters continually point out that these ads “work” we can expect more of the same when the next national campaign ramps up.

It is unrealistic to demand that our politicians tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? So what can we do? Let me offer a modest proposal. When the next election cycle is in full swing, hit your TV’s mute button every time a political ad appears on the screen. Hang up on robo calls. When you listen to pundits, be on the lookout for opinions masquerading as facts. Then do your own research. There are many independent sources that will summarize and compare the real positions of the candidates based on facts, not campaign rhetoric.

Finally, forget which candidate has the biggest smile, the best hair or the most promises. None of those attributes define a good leader.

David Carrell

Campton Hills