If anyone is curious why problems don't get solved in this country, just look at the questions that were asked in the first 40 minutes of last night's debate. A brief association 10 years ago with an individual who was a radical in the 60's, serving as a former First Lady, or having been a prisoner-of-war, does not determine one's fitness for (or lack thereof) higher office.

Sincerely caring about the serious issues at hand, having an intelligent and reasonable approach to solving these problems, and addressing only those matters in a political campaign, are the most important factors in choosing a President to lead this country - as well as honesty and integrity (which does seem to currently be reflected in the polls regarding the candidates' negative ratings).

We currently have a President who was a drunk, who presided over the failure of several oil businesses, and who took us into a war based on complete fabrications after he avoided the draft in the last serious military disaster this country has experienced. None of those things seemed to disqualify him for office, nor matter to over 50% of the electorate in the previous election.

I suppose it would be simple to say, "Let the mudslinging begin." But there are very serious problems in this country. If we continue to let candidates and the media distract us from the real issues at hand with these nonsensical personal attacks, then we get the government we deserve.

The American Electorate needs to hold the institutions, media outlets and opposing candidates responsible for asking the right or wrong questions, and not run like lemmings being led over the cliff.