Enough Already

I realize we are less than two weeks away from the General Election of 2010, the mid-term elections. I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir when I say, "I've had all I can stand and a can't take it anymore!" I'm talking about the political commercials on television and radio. I remember thinking at one time that I would vote for the candidates who were the least negative (because I knew they would all throw some mud). This election cycle is horrible. How is the public supposed to decide which candidate to vote for when the commercials only tell us whom to vote against? The candidates smear their opponents to the point that I think I have to choose between the lesser of two evils instead the best Ameridca has to offer.
Yes, there are candidate debates, but they are little more than extended commericails with some finger-point thrown in. The only time the debates really seem to matter is when one of the candidates says something really dumb or one of them gets to make a very witty remark...even with that is that enough evidence to vote for or against a candidate.
I'm sorry. I really don't think I've had enough information to cast an informed ballot during an election in years. Do I really know Rand Paul or Jack Conway? Did I really know which was the better person to be president two years ago other than what I could see of Barak Obama and John McCain on television? And just because I'm registered with a particular political party doesn't mean that party's candidate is the best of the people on the ballot.
I think part of the reason the negativity has gotten to me this year is because our political culture is working very hard to move us all to the extreme, extreme conservative or extreme liberal. There is very little room for people in the middle. The parties want to fight for the people in the middle so they can claim more people from the middle embrace their points of view. I'm sorry, I don't think Rand Paul is anti-Christian nor do I believe Jack Conway is out to destroy America by supporting healthcaare reform. Both candidates need to get a grip.
What would be great if each candidate had to prove the claims they make against their opponent with something more than fine print at the bottom of the screen, and prove it within the guidelines of reasonable doubt. We need elected leadership who will put people first and not political agendas. But then, I'm usually not in step with political reality because of the way I tend to view the world.
I think the house and senate should be selected at random from voter registration rolls to serve one term...the president would be elected from among those chosen at random to serve in Congress. That way we avoid nasty commercials and the term "career politicians." Yeah, there would be some incompetent people who would be in the house and seante...but how is that any different than what we have today?
As for the 2010 elections...I've had enough already.