c. 2008 Religion News Service

(UNDATED) If American politics dealt with reality, a presidential campaign being waged in a worsening recession during a futile war and mounting gloom about America’s future would seek persuasive ideas for addressing recession, war and gloom.

For that to happen, however, politicians would have to abandon their usual hiding places _ race, religion, immigration and gender _ and spurn the ideologues who fund campaigns.

They would address energy prices and a counterproductive energy policy. And mounting disarray in home ownership and construction lending. And stagnant real income and systemic dislocations caused partly by politicians’ short-sighted meddling.

Instead of learning a tactical lesson from Hillary Clinton’s negative campaigning and reminding voters at every turn that Barack Obama is black or that John McCain is old, political warriors would put America first and address issues that matter.

Instead of condemning the “Bush McCain recession” and “Bush McCain war” or pretending the incumbent is invisible (as if they hadn’t all colluded in eight years of incompetence), politicians would accept accountability, admit the need for course corrections, and offer fresh ideas.

Instead of staging “patriotic” festivals that reduce “love of country” to chest-thumping militarism, both parties would address the nightmare of a war sold by fraud and executed poorly by hacks. They would address the reality of terrorism and its nihilistic assault on all civilized nations, the challenges of a surging China, and the proliferation of nuclear weapons in irresponsible hands.

Instead of crowd-stirring detours into religious ideology and supposed “values” issues like abortion and same-sex marriage _ issues that have nothing to do with Christian values but merely agitate some Christians _ candidates would address world stature lost to torture chambers, ham-fisted anti-diplomacy and bullying unmasked as weakness.

They would address the profound collapse of ethics in public life _ predatory corporations, cheating executives, the wealthy who rig systems for their benefit, mergers that accomplish nothing except bonanzas for the few and a wealth disparity that rivals Rome in its corrupt final days.

Instead of scapegoating dark-skinned immigrants and inviting citizens to arm themselves, candidates would tap Americans’ better instincts _ the very idealism that gives us something to offer the world.

Instead of cheap ideological evasion by crying “sexism” and “racism,” candidates would respect voters who can see beyond gender and race and prefer ideas to the lazy course of tribal rage.

Candidates would look at root causes of collapsing public education _ poor pay for teachers, poor parenting, too much lazy entertainment _ and offer strategies that cost enough to make a difference and ask people to change their lives.

I think most voters are ready for a campaign based on substance, not scapegoats. We need a sober look at our nation, not more catering to bigotry and fear. Both John McCain and Barack Obama drew fervent initial support because they promised to be different. Even now, if they dared to be different, if they dared to emerge from the swamp, I think they would find voters eager to engage.

We the people aren’t the fools that an ugly primary season made us out to be. It is the ideologues who seek power through whining, blaming, hating and grasping. I think the rest of us are ready to grapple with reality. I hope our politicians have the courage to move on with us.

(Tom Ehrich is a writer, church consultant and Episcopal priest based in New York. He is the author of “Just Wondering, Jesus,” and the founder of the Church Wellness Project, http://www.churchwellness.com. His Web site is http://www.morningwalkmedia.com.)

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