More election follow-up: Nearly the worst report I have ever read.

I hate to bring disrespect to other people's writing, but if this is the product we are printing, there is no wonder why the public is not interested in news anymore.

John Smith is the editor of the Religion section of the Reading Eagle. He wrote a report on the key issues that brought voters to the polls this midterm election, headline: "Moral issues key in election results."

It seems that the point he was trying to come to was that voters were displeased about the moral stances of the candidates, and this was there primary motivation in hading to the voting booth.

Quote, after quote, after quote.

There is no rhyme or reason here.
In fact, the truth that I came to out of quotes in Smiths' report is this: First, middle Pennsylvania, like middle America is far more conservative than the rest of the state; and second, more people turned-out because they were dissatisfied with the status quo.

We're at war, John, and everyone hates it.
Remember.

I think what John was trying to say is that voters do have an array of issues on their collective radar, but he failed to convey the message effectively, because he failed ot recognize the growing disconnect between rural and city life. He may have hit his audience in Podunk, PA, but it was dishonest and incomplete.

Check out the same argument, more complete and sure of itself, from a city dweller.

Now if we could only merge these two discussions.

The Philadelphia Inquirer tried, but they missed by making the same mistake as John Smith in Reading: a declaritive statement about the political landscape. It is a good assessment though, if we are forced to make an educated guess.