election weariness

Last night I wanted to watch the news... but I finally gave up. Why? I was sick of the election ads. Yes, I'm thankful we live in a free country. And yes, I consider it a privilege to vote (I hope you do, too). Yes, I'll be at the polls tomorrow morning. But no matter who wins, I'm grieved. We have lost all sense of decency in political discussion. What are we learning from this election? That the best way to win is to be mean and underhanded? That rather than face opposition with intelligence and decency, the better thing to do is find a way to attack late in the game? That rather than build bridges with the other side, we attempt to portray the "other side" in dishonest ways? That anyone who grows and changes their mind or heart is a "flip-flopper"? Is this REALLY the way we want our society to be? Is this really what we want to communicate to our children? People say: "This is just the way the political game is played." But if the political game is played this way, this is the way all of society will begin to play (after all, aren't these people supposed to be LEADERS?). My concern for our country goes way beyond the economy...