Are The Presidential Debates Practical?  

Okay, here we are, in front of the television, watching Barack Obama and John McCain going back and forth with answers to questions posed by Tom Brokaw as well as members of the audience. While this campaign is certainly interesting to watch, and certainly helps to establish a better understanding of these politicians viewpoints, it is also interesting to note how much of their answers address the "working class American" as if they themselves are one.

Now let me tell you, I live in Nashville and I drove past Belmont University today. While there is a lot of "pomp and circumstance" surrounding their arrivals, and their choice to hold this debate here, there is also a LOT of money being spent to make this debate happen. I find no fault with this...it IS important that these debates occur so that the American population can get to know our candidates more intimately, but I am perplexed by how much money gets dumped into the campaign trail.

I drove past Nashville International Airport this afternoon and saw the huge, commercial jets that have been transformed into their roving headquarters. The massive amount of fuel consumption alone that these vehicles use is monumental, not to mention the incredible expense of leasing/purchasing such a vehicle. They speak about fuel conservation, and yet each of these guys is flying around in a Boeing 757, which is large enough to transport more than 120 people. The expenses accrued by providing for these debates is massive.

Here is my plight. We have an economy that is crashing down around us. Is this the time for immense spending or is there a more economical way to run these debates? Is the money that's being spent on these debates a practical use of money or is it unnecessary spending at a time when caution is crucial. I suppose one could argue that these debates bolster the economy of the local areas where they occur, and I guess I would agree with that. I just wonder if this spending is money that could better be used elsewhere.