I really don’t understand political campaigning. We have a landline, yeah, we still do. It probably rings two maybe three times a week. During the last month is has probably rung at least eight times a day. It is recordings for propositions and candidates. It is rambling about . . . . I don’t know what because we don’t listen. I refuse to answer the phone. When they leave a message it just gets deleted. Do you listen to any of that? Do you know anyone that does? And what about the mailers. We have received a pile of big huge glossy propaganda. The pile is over an inch thick. And it is all very confusing. The mailers sent out to get votes are very confusing.
First of all I have not read them. I glanced at them when I was thinking about looking at them and using them to help me vote. I was sorting them. I was trying to decipher what it is they are trying to tell me to vote for or WHO for that matter. Or in some case who for what . . . but they are not clear. Some do not clearly state what the person is running for. Perhaps they assume we know.
In the process of trying to figure out what the mailers were trying to get me to vote about, I noticed that a a major portion of the stuff was not informing me of what the candidate will do or what he or she stands for, but it is just information to discredit the other candidate. Hmmm . . . I guess THAT in itself tells me some things I need to know about the candidate, correct? It is as if their platform is not strong enough or he/she does not have any clear cut ideas or goals so they attack their opponent. There actually was A LOT of that. One candidate in particular seemed to be targeted. So that must mean his/her opponent doesn’t have anything he/she wasn’t to share with us about him or herself. Too busy slamming the opponent. I’m thinking, “Your hands are too dirty from all that mud you are mudslinging.”
Then we received a handful of duplicate flyers. Arrgh! I think the ones we only received ONE of was wasteful enough and now there are some that were received in duplicate?
Now, I really think it is funny (I am being sarcastic) when the candidate has environmental issues they are “concerned” about. “Let’s rid the planet of waste!” Ummmmm . . . yeah, again in this case actions speak louder than your huge glossy print ad because you have just contributed to the landfill. I mean, seriously, I know I am not special and I am not the only one that received over a measurable stacked inch of garbage. So really, you are going to tell me you are concerned about the environment?
And then there are ones that say the candidate is all about helping kids and education. Well, the $38,500.00 spent on the mailing could have gone a long way. I know many teachers that have to spend their own money on supplies for their classrooms. I think $38,500.00 could have bought a heck of a lot of supplies. Now, granted the flyer did say the mailing was paid for by a group who supported the candidate, but still . . . . THEY could have spent the $38 grand on supplies. I bet that money could have bought a lot of second hand instruments. You might say, “Yeah, but it wouldn’t pay the salary of a music teacher.” You’re right and maybe you have heard of the internet? There are plenty of videos online that could help a kid that HAD an instrument to practice with learning how to play. And some kids they don’t even need instruction they just need the instrument. The group or the candidate could have gone to Oriental Trading company and got stickers made that said, “Donated by XXXXXX”. And the school would have instruments. But instead I have a garbage full of shiny paper.
I know that voting is a privilege, but campaigning is a joke.
What do you think? Do you receive the phone calls? Do you get a mailbox full of shiny propaganda? Does it help you vote?
Terre Pruitt's Blog 