Why can't politicians answer questions SIMPLY?

OK, I get it. It's election season. And this election, despite the apparent low stakes, actually is quite bitter and heated. Possibly because the Republicans know they're in trouble over the war. Possibly because the Democrats are scared that, despite this advantage, they may not be able to fully capitalize on it. For whatever reason, prepare yourself for a few blogs on the frustating nature of our political system.

Here is one of my biggest pet peeves:

Why can't politicians answer a simple question simply?

My answer (simply):

It is (somewhat) because they don't want to, and (mostly) because we don't make them.

Get two politicians from opposing parties/points of view/pinnacles of power together, and you can observe this phenomenon for yourself. A simple question is asked, and then the politician (it doesn't matter which one) launches into a diatribe which rapidly transitions from the substance of the question into either 1) the politican's key messages of the day, or 2) an attack on their opponent. It usually ends with some dribble about the "intelligence of the American people" or some other meanlingless pandering. It does not matter what the question is, the answer is always the same.

And we wonder why many people cannot stand to listen to politicians. The problem is, this is our country these goof-balls are messing with. No matter, there is plenty of blame to go around, and the politicians are merely doing what works. The media is also to blame, because in their quest for ratings, they are scared to alienate influential and popular (ie good rating-getters) politicians by tough questioning lest their shows get black-balled for the Sunday talk circuit. So they all act tough, asking a "tough question" but then setting for the crappy, misdirection-laden, non-answers described above.

But I guess most of the blame must lie with all of us, the American People. We let this continue. Perhaps we have no choice. Anyone who tries to answer tough questions honestly gets ripped to shreds and destroyed in the media (by other politicians, attack ads, media personalities, etc.). There is really very little incentive for things to change.

Still, things must change. Our problems are not getting any easier in this world. We simply cannnot afford to condone sound-bite-laden lip-service as a fact of life in our policital system. We have too much at stake.