My God, these would-be presidential candidates must think the American electorate is stupid.

Believe me, after a half-century in the newspaper business, I know they are not. People know a real thing or a fraud when they see one.

But then… maybe some of us are fools. After all, we willingly sit for hours in front of our TV sets and listen to them debate, bicker and berate their opponents.  In return, we, the electorate, get nothing in substance back for our time except grief.

This sordid corps of candidates for the presidency know how to point fingers at everything and everyone but offer no solutions to the nation’s problems.  They quickly accuse the national Press and Media of injecting into the debates lethal and self-incriminating questions that would, if answered, destroy their hopes and their aspirations of becoming the 45th President of the United States. These Republican and Democrats believe that it is the media that holds the key to their kingdom.

How wrong they are.

It is we, the people, who will decide their fate.  And, if they want us, the people, to award them the Presidential Suite, then they must prove to us they have the remedies to cure and heal this nation whose people are hurting economically, morally and in its greatest peril since Pearl Harbor.

At this writing, this nation is fighting three wars: In Iraq, in Afghanistan and in Syria. And we don’t even know who are enemies are. We train those who flee from the field and when they stand with us in battle we do not know if they will turn their weapons towards the enemy, or us.

This nation’s underemployment rate is unacceptable and the gap between the rich and the poor is disturbing to the point that even the rich are feeling uncomfortable. And how can we even think to “improve academic environment” when our children are being killed in their classrooms or when walking the streets to school?

And the response to these senseless killings is: “Guns don’t kill, people do.”

When a candidate fears to speak out and take on the NRA, can we rely on him to confront ISIS?

As a nation we have lost our sense of morally.  Today we can find no refuge from the indignation of sexually implicit ads and commercials and movies that promote violence. Instead of accusing others of being a Bolshevik or a Menshevik – obviously to get media attention and applause, why not tell us how he will stop the militaristic designs of the dictator who presently occupies the Kremlin?

Inform the electorate, dear candidates, how you will put an end to President Putin (a.k.a. Rasputin by his own people) and Russia’s imperialistic aggression. Instead of pointing figures unveil your plans to serve the people and not betray our trusts once in office.

While there is no actual phrase, phrase Primum non Nocere (do no harm,) in the Hippocratic Oath, medical professionals are still under the legal and moral obligation to do the best for their patients. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee in the Archimedesian Oath that engineers or scientists will use their knowledge for the benefit of mankind….look at all the rockets and bombs that have been released in our lifetimes.

I have looked hard and long and turned hundreds if not thousands of pages for some sort of “Code of Ethics” for those candidates desiring to enter the profession of politics. I have found none. Maybe it is time to establish one.

As for me I will always be faithful to those to my profession, a profession that works to right wrongs and enlighten us all.  I stand in reverence of my teachers, such icons as Edward R. Morrow, William A. White, Walter Cronkite, David Brinkley, Dan Rathers, Chet Huntley, John Chancellor, Erving R. Levine, Dorothy Thompson, Tom Brokaw, Peter Jennings, Roy Essoyian, Mitch Kehetian, Barbara Walters, and many others have set a high standard for our profession – yes, I repeat, I am a newspaper man and I have great respect for my colleagues and my profession.

Without freedom of the press history has proven to all there can be no freedom.

 ***

Tom Mooradian was one of 151 Americans who traveled to Soviet Armenia to repatriate during the 1940’s. Thought to be a spy by the KGB, Tom miraculously survived 13 years behind the Iron Curtain winning the hearts of the Soviets through his basketball prowess.  Filled with political drama, romance, and intrigue, Tom’s autobiography, The Repatriate reads like a novel, and will have you guessing how Tom managed to return to America alive.
The Second Edition is now available on Kindle and in Paperback!

 

Save