Remember the good old days in election campaigns when the issues were actually talked about?

Yes, it is coming up to that time when every four years, Americans go to their polling place and vote for the candidate they think will save the country.

This time around, it is Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump squaring off in a contest surely to be remembered for the ages. If only the candidates could get past the mudslinging.

A tradition that dates back to some of our earliest elections, it seems that mudslinging has been around forever. One of the most horrible slogans ever was in 1828, when John Quincy Adams called Andrew Jackson’s wife a committed adulteress.

Even today, those are some pretty strong accusations. Some could argue that today’s candidates have stooped to an even lower level. The right wing accuses Clinton of being a liar, a corrupt politician and a criminal for her role in several scandals.

The same goes for the left wing in its remarks about Donald Trump being a bigot, racist, fascist, sexist and misogynist. Regardless, the substantive issues are being lost in all of this petty arguing.

The American people deserve candidates who will debate the issues that matter. They deserve honesty and integrity, not countless Twitter wars.

While some Twitter comments may be humorous at times, they are not needed. America is at a crucial tipping point and does not need this distraction.

Neither candidate is free from guilt. Unfortunately, the mudslinging will only get worse as we get closer to Election Day. I wonder what types of remarks we will hear next?

The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the writer and are not representative of The Slate or its staff as a whole

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