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In the cacophony of election season, it’s easy to get lost in the partisan noise. Debates become spectacles, sound bites overshadow substance, and the issues that truly impact our daily lives often get buried beneath layers of political theater. The path forward is rarely the straight line they taught us in geometry class as the shortest distance, so an appreciation of nuance is appreciated (if not mandatory).
Rightly or wrongly, it is challenging to separate “politics” from the name Donald Trump. He has always understood branding. I am of the belief that it is only partially his “fault,” given the national media’s infatuation with every word he has ever said, going back decades. It is a philosophically challenging situation because the business side of media wants the ratings, but the editorial side of the business often wants, well, let me refer to my last point. I understand, these newspapers and news shows do not produce themselves—at least not for free.
A wise person would advise anyone who cares about “politics” that effective governance is not about who can shout the loudest or craft the cleverest zinger in a debate. (We are not electing a chief debater, we are electing a commander-in-chief, but I refer to the political theater reference above). This election can and should be about much more, but do not listen to me; I am ready to fast forward to the post-election drink, win or lose for my preferred candidates. At the risk of not paying enough reverence to our ability to freely express our opinion and democratically vote for who we believe should be in charge, we should celebrate that right every time we enter the ballot box.
This was a topic of discussion last week when I hosted the Indiana Chapter of the National Foundation of Independent Business. The diverse group of business owners focused less on state or federal partisan debate and more on discussing tangible policies affecting their livelihoods. Scoring political points is not a stat tracked nor encouraged, but I could not be more appreciative of their comments on the economy, especially for someone in professional services who does not automatically worry every day over rising energy costs, property taxes, etc. I am not immune from those issues, of course, but they do not all (yet) keep me up at night as they relate to my ability to pay employees and taxes.
We were privileged to have the opportunity to share these views and the subsequent inquiries with the likely next governor of our state, U.S. Sen. Mike Braun. It was a substance-focused discussion, dealing with issues a governor can impact. By stepping into that arena, Braun reminded us that we should demand that our leaders, regardless of party affiliation, demonstrate a willingness to listen, learn and engage with the people they seek to represent. In a world of wading through the “extreme noise” of people who are “mad as hell,” we should value candidates who show up “principled, prepared and willing to communicate,” even when the conversations are difficult.
As we navigate this election season, let’s challenge ourselves to look beyond the surface-level debates and sound bites. Let’s seek out information about how candidates are engaging with the real issues facing our communities. Let’s value substance over style (though style does matter), and remember that whom we support politically is a choice we make, but it is also not necessarily what defines our existence for the rest of time. The issues we care about, and what we believe, at the time, is how we should likely be self-identified, but I could be persuaded.•
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Rateike is founder and owner of BAR Communications and served as director of cabinet communications for President Donald Trump. Send comments to ibjedit@ibj.com.
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