Does Decorum Mean Anything Anymore?

Attack ads.  Smear campaigns.  Snide remarks.  They are so much fun.

Admit it, you love when someone makes the one up remark.  I’m not afraid to say that I love it.  It’s the witty comeback, the retort that comes in at a second’s notice that puts your opponent on his respective ass.  When you are in a conflict, sometimes the best way to play defense, is to play offense.  And that’s how politics are played.

But does a conflict have to be cheap?  I’m from Massachusetts, and was watching the senatorial debate last night.  I am a full blue-blooded liberal and didn’t expect to be swayed away from Elizabeth Warren’s campaign ideas, but I wanted to see a healthy debate.  I wanted to see the good retorts, the fantastic stats that would be used against one another to help prove the points.  I wanted some animation.  What I found was depressing.

Senator Scott Brown had the beginning remarks, and a question: what does he think about his opponent’s character?  Senator Brown first thanked the station and the debate for allowing this opportunity, and then proceeded to demand that Elizabeth Warren release her personnel files on herself.  Apparently, Elizabeth Warren has been marking herself down as a Native American, and been taking advantage of affirmative action in order to get better jobs.  And, in the Senator’s words, “As I can see, you are not a person of color.”

I had my retorts.  I was screaming my retorts, I was absolutely furious.  We’ll give you her personnel files when you give us Romney’s tax returns!  I wanted to shout that to the highest heavens (instead I posted it on the internet).  But no, Elizabeth Warren didn’t use a snappy comeback, nothing to turn the comment on its head.  She calmly replied that her mother was part Cherokee, and it is a heritage she is proud of.  She will not be releasing the files, for the privacy of other individuals that are a part of her life that wish to maintain their privacy.

I thought this was weak at first.  I’m just sitting there watch this woman get called out again and again, four separate instances where Senator Brown demanded to see her files, and just calmly reply no.  And I realized I’m a part of the problem.  I love the drama, I love the fast and loose politics seen on the talk shows.  I wanted that debate to be two degrees removed from a rendition of Fight Club.  What I got instead was a debate.  Candidates who were not going for glamour, but substance.  Repeating themselves not just to have themselves be heard, but to make sure the message was out there.

Do we want decorum in our debates again?  It’s not exciting, it’s not edgy, but it’s policy.  It gets things done and decorum is above all else respectful.  It is going up to your hated enemy across the aisle and saying I hate you and everything you stand for, but we have a country to build so let’s get to work.  Isn’t that how we want our government to be run?