British Style Election Campaigns

A couple of weeks ago on the eve of the British parliamentary elections, I watched a "questioning session" of British candidates for Prime Minister on a government channel of TV. It was fascinating for a number of reasons and proof that the ugly and poorly functioning electoral system of my own country is replicated elsewhere, a reminder that politics in the modern age of a democratic society is more about show than substance.

This questioning thing was in place of a debate among the three candidates, supposedly to give the candidates direct access "to the people".  It involved a studio audience of randomly selected citizens, often openly hostile, that asked rather direct and often rude questions of the the Labor, Liberal and Conservative party leaders who were campaigning to see which would have the most party members elected. The party with the most candidates elected will have its leader be named Prime Minister. Each of the three candidates was called a liar more than a few times by the questioners,  and each of the candidates simply smiled when insulted and thanked the questioner for the insult. Curious, indeed. In the U.S. our traditions mean the politician would never directly be called liars, I guess because it is already be assumed that he or she is a liar. Why else run for political office?

The questions were about issues that were the often same as those posed by interviewers (we rarely get the chance to ask the politicians directly)  in today's U.S. elections- welfare reform, the bad economy, too many immigrants entering the country. There were also some unique to the Brits. (whether, for example, to stay in the EU). Like our own candidates, the three politicians dodged, equivocated and changed the subject. But the TV moderator who called on each questioner interrupted when the politicians did so and addressed all three with a, "You didn't answer the question. Please do now". I loved that because in several cases it forced a direct reply.

The audience seemed to dislike all three and often booed answers or expressed disdain for the candidate and his policies. I wish we did that here!  Britain may be in a bit of distress now, but I think their campaign style is a better way than the one we have here that. Ours insulates the candidates and allows them to hide behind handlers and lets them use empty rhetoric. Wow! I would love to start a question to Hillary Clinton with, "Given you are a serial liar........" I should move to Britain.