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Jo wants reasonable discourse in the presidential race

What has happened to this country’s collective intelligence?

It is time that we open our eyes and ears, stop depending on news stations to provide us with endless drivel, and put the presidential candidates’ feet to the fire.

Our election process has become a joke. The art of the debate — which should serve as a format for the nominees to discuss issues, plans, and agendas — has deteriorated into a fling-fest of venomous comments about each others’ morals instead of pin-pointing exactly what kind of leadership each brings to the table.

The talking heads in designer suits and perfectly quaffed hair repeat the rhetoric and keep the hate flowing just to keep up the ratings. But all we want is for them to deliver the facts, compile the figures, and let us decide. But instead, we are subjected to hour after hour and day after day of banal “he said, she said.”

One of my friends said the other day, “I’m sick of the count-down clock to the next debate. I want this farce to end already.”

Amen to that!

Let’s take this seriously and hear what the nominees have to say on the burning issues of what really matters to the people. What have they accomplished in the past, and what do they hope to accomplish in the future? Will the president that we elect be able to unite us? Will he or she be able to free us from a losing foreign trade agreement, be a president that will bring manufacturing and industry back to the America, and protect our interests?

We deserve a competent, intelligent, president — one who will defend the country instead of apologizing for it. One who will provide protection, guidance, and improve our quality of life. One who will effectively lead us.

I’m not pointing any fingers at any party, because both are at fault. And, as far as I can tell, there doesn’t appear to be one decent apple in the bunch. But for Pete’s sake, let’s get to the heart of the matter.

Let the candidates discuss:

• Our gross national debt, which has more zeroes than Steven Hawkins can compute.

• Reversing corporations fleeing our shores.

• Creating jobs and stopping out-sourcing.

• Eliminating poverty and joblessness.

• Protecting our borders from unlawful immigration.

• Putting a cap on rising taxes.

• Making higher education truly affordable.

• Capping out-of-control governmental spending.

Not for Nuthin™, but this is what should be addressed during the debates and not who has the better looking wife or the biggest hands and feet.

Follow me on Twitter @JDelBuono.

Joanna DelBuono writes about national issues every Wednesday on BrooklynDaily.com. E-mail her at jdelbuono@cnglocal.com.