A possible side effect of negative campaiging

[Bluzmann57]

Around here, there are some hotly contested races, both on a local and national level, House seat up for grabs and state house seats up as well. Not to mention governor's races in both Iowa and Illinois. And almost to a man (and woman), people are saying that they are getting sick and tired of all the negativity being thrown around. Both Illinois candidates for Governor are negative, to some extent, both Iowa first district candidates are negative, although the repubs are really really bad and makde no apologies about it, a couple of state house races have gotten negative, and so on. So now, people are so sick and tired of it, they are talking about not even voting. It is conventional wisdom that huge turnout equals wins for the Dems, so maybe that is part of the reason the repubs are so negative. But to tell you the truth, I am getting to the point where I can't really say as I blame people for being disgusted. Enough is enough.

[RufusEarl]

1. Perhaps as a nation we watch to much television!

[Bluzmann57]

3. Maybe we do

But this campaigning is going on the radio and newspapers as well. The other day, I heard an ad for a guy who is the incumbent in Iowa House District 84 and he was shredding his young opponent, she's 28, as being "too idealistic" and "since she lives at home, she has no idea how to do budgeting work." There is a reason why she lioves at her parents house, it's because her father is disabled and in order to make house payments, etc., her mother works full time nights and her siblings are also semi unavailable due to marriage and um...high school. This same repub candidate said that "she has never been married even though she's 28", implying that either she is gay or that there is something wrong with her. This is the type of campaigning which just turns people off, especially since her family is well known around the area. By the way, just for the record, I have met her male friend, and he's a pretty good guy.

[Red Right and BLUE]

2. I would really like to see a new campaign rule:

In TV ads you can only talk about yourself and your own platform and goals. Don't even mention other candidates.

[Mnemosyne]

4. Hear, hear! Best idea ever for ads. n/t

[brook]

6. Good rule for all campaigning.

I got a quasi-newspaper in the mail yesterday which attacked a number of local politicians. None of the articles were by-lined. Yet, it was obviously the work of 3 opposition candidates. It does turn me off when it's so underhanded. But I went ahead and wrote a ltte calling them out on it because I'm tired of smear tactics by cowards.

[applegrove]

5. Is it negative campaigning when * WH has such horrible policies?

I mean everything has gone wrong as governance is concered.

[many a good man]

7. Let's ban political advertising on TV

1) it's worthless for educating voters about candidates; 2) it turns people off voting, lowering turnout; and 3) it costs so much money politicians are forced to pander.