It's the Senatoriables' Campaign Period, read: Party Time

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The senatoriables are named (unnamed and will be named, yes even while the campaign period has started) and the government is out to party. This is the the time when the suits are replaced with jeans, shirts, and vests, usually printed with tag-lines and logos of the party or of the individual. This is the time, the only time, that you will see them on the streets motorcading, and perhaps too much eager to grab your hand and kiss that baby you're holding. This is the time, the only time (except perhaps when they are trying to manuever some funds out of...) that they get creative. You soon learn that he can sing, or at least has tried to. This other one can dance and boy that boogie looks damn good. They come up with killer jingles usually ripped out of popular songs, whose tunes are guaranteed to hound you for the rest of your lives. Even their nicknames are made more fabulous. Cheese, anyone? This is also the time to switch parties as if changing court in a game of volleyball. But wait, volleyball has rules right? These guys change parties out of whim, out of personal feelings, out of bribes perhaps? This is the time to welcome a plethora of nuisance candidates. They are obviously just there to confuse the already clueless people but they are still there. The other senatoriables are filing for their disqualification but by the time that they are disqualified they have already wreaked sufficient havoc that they might as well have stayed. This is the time to be very confused. Is that guy promoting a new movie? Maybe he's campaigning for a senatoriable. Nope. All wrong. He, himself, is running for senator! Yes, wasn't he just great in that movie last year where he won best actor? Sure, but does he know the legislative process? Oh not to worry, he said he'll take a crash course should he win. And that's the latest showbiz ramble, oh sorry, the latest news. This is also the time to get to watch your senatoriables on tv, in between shampoo and deodorant commercials, selling themselves. How much is spent on these you ask? Oh not to worry, they're 'paid for by friends of Mr. Senatoriable'. Some rich and generous friends he has. I wonder what kind of payment they have asked. This is also the time, aside from the town fiesta, to see banners, posters, and buntings emblazoned with the faces and names of our senatoriables. Of course they are seen where it's illegal to post campaign materials. That seems to be their motto, break rules blatantly, anyway, no one cares! They'd reason out that it was their supporters who keep on posting these posters on the wrong areas. I say if they can't even govern the number of supporters that they have then how can they help to govern the whole country? But of course what is a party without food? This is the time when words are eaten and when people get drunk with promises. Really. Such a wonderful time, this campaign period. One heck of a party. I so dread the hangover right after the votes are in. What do you think about the way campaign periods are in your country? We rarely have debates here, as often as snow in the tropics. What we have is a popularity contest, very much like showbusiness. In fact people from showbusiness have turned up for the party. context: 7,107 islands