One of the long simmering blog posts not yet written has to do with the settling on of some personal self defined rules of their own blog. If you keep at it long enough, you settle into a self defined rule set, maybe not even knowing it.
One of mine is that I do not make posts about politics- not that I lack string feelings or opinions on our [pathetic] system, but that I choose not to make it my focus here. I write about technology, education, media, bad experiences with companies, dogs, etc, but keep a number of things off blog. That’s just my choice.
So consider this one less about political punting but more about the forms of media we are pummeled with leading up to the November elections. I am insulted by the incessant avalanche of really poorly thought out media campaigns that say, “Vote for me because the other guy/gal is an bumbling idiot”. It would be laughable if millions of dollars were not flowing behind this.
By this point I long stopped listening. It ends of sounding like this….
“Jim Kyle is a big dork who picks his nose…”
“…Well, Jim Pederson not only picks, his nose, but he eats it too… I have pictures”
“… And not only does John Kyle picks his nose, he wipes the boogers under the table, according to his tax records…”
“…Did you know that Jim Pederson blames his farts on other people…”
And on it goes. Ad nauseum. Or maybe that is me nauseated by ads.
Oh, and of course, there is… “And I approve this message.” Being approving of such grade school level of argumentation says a lot.
And thus, I don’t approve of any of these messages. If I were to hold my votes for the people that do not practice this level of promotion, I’d be only casting my vote for State Mine Inspector (yes, that is an elected position in Arizona, actually an interesting history behind it) and that list of like 40 judges we are supposed to know enough about to cast an opinion.
Also, on by Do Not Vote list are all the ones that have those pre-corded automated phone calls ring me at home. C’mon, how many people really listen to those all the way through? Is that really an effective means to communicate your stand, phone spam?
Grrrrrr.
Actually, I have already voted for all of the positions up for grabs (early vote by mail is the way to go for me). About the only good thing about the upcoming elections is that afterwards, TV can revert to its non political ads.
Perhaps I voted for the gecko— someone who never has anything negative to say.
In OH there is such backlash against incumbents (Republicans have ruled the state for 12 years (at least)–tons of corruption (Bob Ney, Gov. Taft pleads guilty to ethics violations, cronyism, draining workman’s comp in a questionable investment, etc.), wrecked economy, and so forth, the Dem’s have it really easy: all they have to do is mention Joe Republican worked with Sally Republican–and we know about her! Unfortunately, as is often the case with Dem’s, they don’t offer much of an alternative other than, “we’re not them.” In the gubernatorial race, Strickland (D) is really pretty quiet. All he has to do is keep his mouth shut–don’t give people a reason not to like you–there is so much resentment against the ruling party.
I’ve actually been enjoying the political ads here. I’d hope the people that don’t follow the news can at least learn something about what the R’s have been doing. Oh, and Senator DeWine (R) used doctored footage of 9/11 in an ad he approved. He’s been busted like 3 times on incorrect/false ads, all of which he approved.
But in general I’m with you; the level of what passes for political discourse is pathetic.