Subject: Re: Yep
It kinda goes back even further. I recall in my history/civics in high school that elections way back in the 1800s were popularity contests. Who was the better husband, who was the better xian, who was the better American, etc. Very little talk of substantive issues.

In that respect, we're both better and worse today. We talk about issues, but not in-depth, and not without a lot of prevarication.