Notes From The Campaign Trail

Word and photos by F LoBuono

attitudenoun [C/U]

  US   /ˈæt̬·ɪˌtud/

the way you ​feel about something or someone, or a ​particular ​feeling or ​opinion:[U] Start each ​day with a ​positive attitude.[C] People’s attitudes toward ​family are set very early in ​life.
Here on the campaign trail I've been thinking about this word quite a bit. As many of you may know, when this is the case I usually head for the dictionary for a definition. So, now, we have the literal meaning. But, what about the nuance of the word? This is what interests me.All of us FEEL. Therefore, we all have attitudes. Otherwise, we would not be human. Certainly, the candidates have them and are more than willing to share them with us. Donald Trump may be the most obvious example. However, he certainly has not cornered the market on 'tude. But, at this point, I am not interested in THEIR attitudes but, rather, OURS.Trump and his fellow Republicans have preached for us to return to "traditional American values". Trump's campaign slogan is Make America Great Again. They all claim that because we have moved away from these so-called values this has made us weak. Foreigners are overrunning us. Homosexuals have decayed our morals. Foreign powers mock us. And, they have found traction with millions of Americans.Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton certainly does not share the same vision as her GOP counterparts. Her voting record on gay marriage, women's rights, and social equality stand in direct opposition to them. However, her approach is more "traditional". I don't see her looking for a cosmic shift in the way people feel about our Country and how we conduct our business. On the other hand, Bernie Sanders, her opponent for the Democratic nomination is calling for a RADICAL change in the way we THINK about ourselves and the way we govern. 

Because Sanders has called for a change in ATTITUDE, his opponents have derided him as unrealistic if not downright delusional. They claim that what he proposes for our Country simply cannot work. Well, it can't/won't if we don't re-evaluate what we FEEL is most important to us AS a Country. To achieve the success that he claims his policies as President will bring can only be secured if we believe in what he says. And, that, my friends will require a leap in faith. This is more easily said than done. Most people are uncomfortable with change. They usually prefer the status quo. It seems to be a situation of the devil you know vs the devil you don't.However, for this election cycle, this may have changed.Interestingly, the two men most diametrically opposed, Sanders and Trump, share one thing in common: they have reflected the anger this Country has towards the way our government is conducting its affairs. Finally, we appear ready to truly change and they have capitalized on it. Now, HOW we change is at the root of their two campaigns. Trump, touting himself as an "outsider", has proposed closing borders and an aggressive, attacking foreign policy. He would terminate many social programs that he claims are dragging down our fellow Americans. It's keep up or be left behind. Sanders, also calls for a sea change in the way our government functions. However, he prefers a radical shift in policy that calls for Democratic Socialism, a dirty word in American politics. To achieve this, it would require new thinking, i.e. attitude. It is certainly a "kinder, gentler" way of governing. The question remains, are we willing to change THAT much.Now, this is certainly NOT and endorsement of Donald Trump. Nor is it of Bernie Sanders. I am not in the position to do that. And, I would not even if I could. What it is is a call to action. Be involved. And, understand, you are in a position to change the world. HOW it will change is up to us - and the ATTITUDE we have towards that end.