If you are like me you are tired of politicians having nothing to say other than making negative comments about their opponents and never answering a direct question.

We saw the epitome of the former during the most recent presidential election where Kerry’s camp took shots at Bush and vice versa.

I just recently returned to Virginia after being away for nearly five years, and walked right into a gubernatorial campaign.

In watching the TV ads of late all I have seen is one man condemning the record of the other and telling me absolutely nothing about what they are going to do if elected.

And it isn’t just happening in the race for governor n I am seeing it in the lesser contests, such as lieutenant governor and attorney general. Everybody is slamming everybody else and saying nothing about what they stand for in this election.

And have you seen the use of the poor-quality black and white photos that some of these people are using? They pick the worst picture they could ever find, mess with it a little bit, or a lot, to make it even less appealing, and then use it to bolster their claims that their opponent is not trustworthy and not qualified for the job.

I wish just once a politician would step up to the plate and tell us what he or she is all about, what they stand for and never, ever have a negative comment about their opponent.

I have a friend in New Jersey who doesn’t like weather people. He once told me he would rather the weather man n or woman n come out and tell him what the current temperature is. My friend says he already knows if it is sunny, cloudy, rainy, etc. He just wants to know how hot or cold it is.

After receiving the specifics on the temperature, he would want the weather person to leave the stage and go sit by the phone. Then, and only then, if my friend wanted any more information, he could call them.

This is my current philosophy on politicians. Come on TV, tell me who you are and what you are running for and then go sit down someplace. I’ll call you if I need you.

And if I do call, I expect you to give me a direct answer to my question.

For example, if I ask you what time it is, do not respond, “Time? I’ll tell you what time it is. It’s time for my opponent to stop lying and tell everybody that they really are for this and that, that they say they want this, but they really support that. Oh, and by the way, look at this really, really bad black and white picture I have obtained of my opponent.”

I want politicians to be straightforward and answer the darned questions.

Of course part of the problem is the media’s. We are enablers.

We ask politicians questions n just watch the TV news one evening n and they give some cock and bull answer that has nothing to do with what they were asked. And then the reporter lets them get away with it without asking the same question again and demanding an answer. That aggravates me to death.

But the negative campaigning and the failure to answer the questions directly will not end until we, the electorate, stand up and tell these bozos that we have had enough.

Maybe next time we should just stay home and not vote. I wonder what would happen if nobody received any votes whatsoever?

My kingdom for an honest and straightforward politician!