Voters focus on superfluous

In many recent diverse letters and comments about the upcoming elections, writers typically focus either positively or negatively on traits, vague events and generalities that have little or nothing to do with the job at hand. For instance, a president is hired to exercise a limited set of powers at a particular moment in history to deal with a specific set of problems of varying tractability. While perhaps of interest, anything else is irrelevant.

To the extent that this is valid, then the important information would be limited to a comparison of the core social beliefs of the candidates, the avowed expression of those beliefs as manifest in choices made in adult life, and the ultimate efficacy of the judgments underlying those choices. In other words, given alternatives, what had driven his choices and how well has his intent been realized given the limitations of reality.

This could be a useful and appropriate discussion in selecting a president in contrast, for example, to acquiring a pet, a prom king or a golfing buddy.

Peter Grossman

Spokane