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What’s Going On: Liberals, conservatives unite in disdain for political ads

It was as if the political cartoon was speaking directly to me.

“If you’re sick of negative campaign ads, then vote for me,” the voice shouted to a couple sitting on their couch watching television. “Not my opponent who is a no-good, lying, hypocrite.”

The exact, same scenario played out in my basement Thursday night as I watched a football game. Candidate A came on the television and immediately criticized his opponent for all her mudslinging, and then spent the remainder of his 30-second ad spot, slinging mud, calling her an array of names.

Political advertising, especially on television is amazing in one aspect: it’s ability to unite Americans.

Old and young, men and women, Republican and Democrat, it doesn’t matter who it is, if you ask them if they have been enjoying all the advertising that accompanies the mid-terms or presidential elections, the response is universal: they hate it.

No other type of advertising is so universally loathed by its target audience and yet embraced by consumers, in this case political candidates.

I’m certain there’s some sort of science justifying this marketing strategy, but have you ever met someone who admitted to changing their ballot or mind based on a TV ad?

I’ll admit this, after recognizing the blatant fear techniques some candidates employ in their advertising strategy, I have found myself more compelled to vote against them simply because of the message they are paying to broadcast.

Regardless, it’s obvious by the increase of this “type” of campaigning, especially on the state and national level, it won’t be going away anytime soon; regardless of how nauseating and repulsive voters may find it.

***

Typically, just before an election, you will hear and read a lot of chatter about how it’s your American “duty” to vote with addendums that if you don’t cast a ballot, you don’t get to complain for an indefinite amount of time about the state of affairs.

I say hogwash.

If you don’t want to vote … don’t. If you are too apathetic, or lazy, or simply disgusted by American politics, stay home. Doing nothing is just as much your American right as voting. Part of freedom is not being required to do something, like voting.

And quite frankly, I’d rather an uneducated voter simply stay out of the process than taking a ballot and simply voting for names they like or a party with candidates they know nothing about.

Voting is a right, but it is also a responsibility and along with that comes the obligation to know who you are voting for and what they advocate. If you don’t want to take the time and energy to learn that, then stay home.

You don’t forfeit your right to complain and protest about the government simply because you don’t vote. The Bill of Rights doesn’t read you have the right to protest or freedom of press only if you vote.

And considering the path many politicians are following with their campaigns, I certainly can’t blame voters for throwing their hands up in disgust and removing themselves entirely from the process.

With that said, I would add the caveat that local races have largely been immune to the fallacies of state and national campaigns. And coincidentally, it is those races where your vote has the biggest impact. And not coincidentally, those elected to your local city council, school board, or county offices are also the ones who have the biggest impact on your day-to-day life.

So while I would encourage you to at least learn about your local elections and cast your ballot accordingly, I won’t be one to condemn if you don’t.

——

Gregory Orear is the publisher of The Journal. His award-winning weekly column, “What’s Going On,” has been published in four newspapers in three states for more than 20 years. He can be contacted at gorear@nujournal.com.

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