Mudslinging continues to muck up U.S. politics

Campaigning this year for the 2008 presidential nominee will be different from the previous campaigns. This is because this year, both the Democrats and Republicans are taking their gloves off and are preparing to fight an "ad war."

The ads will consist of belowthebelt messages that will viciously attack each side in the hopes of gaining precious votes.

There are clearly some issues that concern me. One is that campaigning has become a contest, based not on the issues, but on the potential presidents' personal lives.

I don't know about the rest of America, but I personally want a president who knows something about government and who represents me as an individual.

I want to know how these politicians propose to get us out of debt, lower taxes and stabilize our economy . . . not about whether their war record was fake or not.

Of course, certain issues are important to know about a potential president, but then again every message we will hear from the opposing side will be completely biased and facts may be hindered.

Another frightening aspect of this campaigning style is that the Internet will allow people not even involved in the campaign to post ads.

Hopefully my fellow Americans understand this and do not base their vote on a simple ad by an opposing party made to manipulate them into voting a certain way.

This is, of course, if they even plan on voting at all. Chelsea King Simi Valley