Basic civility should be an election platform
Lockport Journal editorial
Friday, July 30, 2026

Vice President Dick Cheney drops the F-bomb during a heated conversation in the Senate chambers.

Teresa Heinz Kerry, wife of Sen. John Kerry, tells a reporter to “shove it.”

Talk radio and cable television types go crazy.

In both instances, hypocrites on both the right and the left are giddy with delight in an effort, somehow, to gain the moral high ground over their ideological opponents.

We’re sick of it.

The lack of civility in American politics is appalling, and plays into the hands of forces that would rather see our country divided than brought together, usually for their own political gain.

That’s particularly troubling when you consider our troubles abroad. America’s image may just be at an all-time low around the world, and we’re not making ourselves look any better with the way we conduct our elections.

We have to remember that, on all sides of the political spectrum, we’re Americans. We need to keep that in mind, no matter our political differences.

We’re supposed to be an example to the rest of the world.

Of course, we’d rather our politicians and the media focus on issues that matter, in an objective fashion. Unfortunately, the United States would much rather be opinionated than informed. That could explain the popularity of film-maker Michael Moore’s left-wing propaganda, or talk radio’s right-wing mouthpiece, Rush Limbaugh.

Too many people want to be told what they already believe, and as a result, the process suffers.
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