Mud-Slinging

Mud-slinging is an expression that has been with us for many years. It pertains to a high level of accusations and insulting that occurs between political candidates who are running against each other for office. I do not know the origins of the expression or who introduced it. Whoever it is should be recognized everytime we have a political campaign. After all, it is not every day one coins an expression that requires no explanation even among those who do not follow politics. Off-hand, the only other phrase that I can think of that ranks just as high on the familiarity scale and that requires no explanation is "love at first sight." As I write this, after today there are ten days remaining in the 2020 presidential campaign. The two candiates - President Donald Trump and former vice president Joe Biden - are following the tradition of mud-slinging. The negativity between them and their followers is intense and will no doubt continue long after the campaign itself is over. Both candidates are to be congratulated for the energy they are bringing to this form of campaigning. (Yes, there are such things as positive campaign. Not a campaign comes along where the candidates do not pledge to run positive campaigns. It is the rare candidate who keep this promise.) Personally, I would prefer if Trump and Biden made a better effort to be positive, but maybe they just bring out the worst in each other. What is the best way for the rest of us to handle this form of political communicating? Enjoy it? Ignore it? Hold office seekers to higher standards? Such questions are not as easy to answer as they might seem. After all, it is important for all citizens to vote even if we may not be totally pleased with our choices. Consequently, we the witnesses to the mud-slinging are left with the option of rising above the unpleasant behavior of our choices. We hope the person to whom we ultimately give our support is better than they sometimes appear to be.