By Elizabeth Farina
Media General News Service

It’s less than 20 days before a General Election that has been in campaign mode for over two years. From the primary race, and now down to the wire, candidates are firing back and forth between camps. Luckily, it’s only a war of words.

This isn’t the first time the United States has seen an election that highlights divisions of ideology and principles, and it isn’t the first time questionable character has been a consideration in casting a ballot.

The United States has seen a number of heated elections in its mighty history. There is one in particular that revealed the weakness of the U.S. Constitution. Bitter partisanship roared through Congress with heated debates for the highest elected office in the land. A former Secretary of Treasury, whose influence stretched beyond a national central bank, pushed Congress to vote for the person he deemed fit to lead. It was ruthless lobbying with a divided Congress that cast a vote 35 times before the decision was finally made. It was the election between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr, which took place only 11 years after the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. Thomas Jefferson would become the third President of the United States.

Interestingly enough, history points to this election as a successful test of the nation’s new document. Even with all its rhetoric speeches. Even with its paid published media slurs that make modern-day political 527 organizations look like pansies. And even the shooting death of former Secretary of Treasury Alexander Hamilton in a New Jersey duel with then U.S. Vice-President Aaron Burr, the election process was an achievement of power transferred from one party to another without a national outbreak of civil unrest. Minus the duel between two individuals which had escalated into a personal rift, the election process was fairly peaceful for the selection of Thomas Jefferson.

More importantly, the entire electoral process revealed the flaws of having Congress involved in the election of the U.S. President and Vice-President. The creation of the 12th amendment was a direct result of the U.S. Congress’ stalemate between selecting Jefferson and Burr. The U.S. Constitution was tweaked and ratified with the amendment to work as a fluid governing document. The final outcome – the Electoral College we have come to know today.

Now flash forward 208 years. The Presidential Election is seeing the same cycle we’ve seen every four years with two candidates vying for the most powerful job in the world. For many constituents, the campaigns have been hammering away with their messages, their promises, and their request for money and our votes.

Regardless of the outcome, it’s been a long, arduous path to the White House in this election cycle for the candidates and, most of all, for the people.

Take away the sound bites and images.

Take away the pundits and pulpits.

Take away the rhetorical, finger-pointing, scandalous headlines.

Take away the news camera, the many hand shakes, and the ‘politician-kissing/holding baby’ photo opportunities. Go straight to the main source of information at each candidate’s Web site and find out – in their own words – what their plans are for the United States of America.

Web site visitors do not have to register to access the sites. There is a “opt out” icon on the main homepage for each candidate.

Do your homework over these next two weeks. Carefully read both plans that will impact you, your family, and your hometown. Generously take notes to look back at why you would agree or disagree with the candidate’s policy.

Break all pundits’ assumptions of the public and become an informed American voter.