The previous two runs for the White House contained enough character attacks to last four to five of them. Those races had important issues within them and I don’t mean to belittle those. Especially the 2004 run where dual wars were front and center in our minds, but those things were located so far away.

Though many of us had family members or loved ones fighting in the wars the majority of people didn’t deal with it in such a tangible way. The wars were not happening in the streets of our own neighborhoods. They were of concern because of the ramifications of those wars. However, aside from 9/11 most of those affects were merely beginning to be felt.

Gas prices were climbing, but had not become unbearable. We had the luxury of looking at character. We could put up with and attempt to cut through smear tactics albeit to our dislike. These things didn’t really affect us.

Both the candidates made it to this point in the elections and their careers based in no small part on personal makeup. Each has a set of skills and tools. The light from the scrutiny of public life can be white hot and burn out even the strongest people. This year both are standing up to the pressure and apparently the strength of their backgrounds outweigh flaws and missteps they made along the way.

With the state of our country right now it’s surprising that character is for some a center of focus. The current state of our economy is being compared with the worst financial times in recent history. People are losing their homes, savings and abilities to pay loans and are uncertain about financial futures.

Why talk about distant acquaintances and the fact someone speaks well when so much is at risk? Americans are being told daily something needs to be done about the economy and they are worried. It’s the number one issue in every poll.

We have three weeks to go and acquaintances with college professors who were once radical hippies in the nineteen sixties is a serious issue? Especially when the candidate in question didn’t know the college professor at the time and was eight years old to boot? In some ways it boggles the mind to think that this is even being chosen as a serious topic of discussion. Would General David Petraeus fly a suspected terrorist around Baghdad and brief him on the Iraq War?

Both parties have pasts both personal and political. Right now the most important issues are economic. What will you as a candidate do to get us out of this mess?

What are the specifics of your plan you can articulate, we can understand and make our own informed decisions about. Tell us how that plan relates specifically to the problem as it stands right now. People have concerns about bailouts and whether those will merely enable practices which ended us up here in the first place. People want to know whether there will be specific changes which along with an injection of money will change those irresponsible behaviors. What those changes will be – with some specifics.

Leaders who cannot demonstrate the ability to focus is something a nation in somewhat unstable and changing times cannot afford. We need people with insight into current problems and a specific vision for the future. Focusing on topics better left for gossip seems a little… light.

To read about my inspiration for this article go to www.lawsuitagainstuconn.com.