I thank you for your tact, but I, for one, wouldn't object if you took your shots. This is the 14th Presidential election that I can remember (though I was around for it, I don't remember Harry Truman's victory in 1948
). I am so sick of the length of the campaigns, due mainly to the disgusting tactic of candidates, and their supporters, devoting most of their time to telling us why we
shouldn't vote for the other guy, rather than telling us why we
should vote for them. This year it reached a new low by actually attempting to demonize the other guy with half truths, innuendo, and flat out lies, and I'm not referring to just the Presidential candidates. I'm sick and ashamed of it. YMMV.
Looking in as an outsider, I hope you don't mind me saying that your election process IMHO does seem way too long and somewhat complicated.
Our Canadian media broadcast as much coverage on the US election as it does our own. Between US stations making up a large percentage of our TV packaging and Canadian news media being active in providing US election coverage, I think it's safe to say we get to see and hear every election story that you would see. At least any that invoke national coverage.
So with that in mind, I feel safe in expressing an opinion that it is indeed too long for many reasons. The reasons I won't delve into, except to say reason number 1 is that we have to endure it with you. heh heh.