Sep. 11, 2008 - Stop the Mud!
It seems I must be un-Canadian again today. But while the last post was a bit tongue-in-cheek, this one is quite serious. A proud Canadian I am, but if wanting truth from politicians is un-Canadian, then so be it. Although I doubt I am alone in this desire.
No sooner had the election been called than the mud began to fly. The first commercial I saw listed many things our current Prime Minister is doing, all related with a negative slant of course. The commercial was at its very end before I even knew which opposing party had flung the mud. (It was Jack Layton and the NEW Democratic Party – his emphasis. As far as I can tell, it’s the same old same old from the New Democrats.)
This kind of “campaigning” does three things:
1. It tells me that you, the politician, do not like what your opponent is doing. Now this seems rather redundant to me because if you did like what your opponent was doing you wouldn’t be running against him. Don’t waste my time telling me something I already know.
2. It assumes that you, the politician, know what I, the voter, believe and want. You don’t. Even if you’ve done a hundred polls, you only know what those who answered the polls want. You know what people in YOUR party want. You do not know what *I* want. Don’t waste my time telling me why I won’t like your opponent. What I want to hear from you is what you think I might like about you.
3. It tells me that you assume that I am not very bright, obviously not intelligent enough to understand the issues enough to be given any real factual information. Don’t tell me what the other guy is doing. Tell me what YOU are going to do. And spare me the generalities. Assume I know something about the issues AND that I care about them. Assume that I am going to vote based on what the politicians will do on these issues and not based on who is most popular or comes off looking keenest at the debate. And be specific! Don’t make us read between the lines and guess what you’re really talking about. Think of Sgt. Friday, “Just the facts, Ma’am.”
Oh, make that four things: It also tells me how low you are willing to stoop to beat your opponent. It tells me that you are more interested in winning the race than in hearing what the people want and then doing it. And it tells me that you are not a very honourable person. And although you may not believe it, honour is still important to me in the person whom I choose to lead my country.
I know more people who no longer even bother to vote because of this kind of nonsense campaigning. They have learned over the years that the politicians don’t tell them what they’re going to do, and if one does he ends up not doing it anyway. Skepticism gives way to cynicism and soon we have fewer than 50% of the populace turning up at the polls. Sad, but can we really blame the people? I blame the politicians.
But it’s not too late. I doubt anyone running in this campaign is reading this, but if one should happen by, please hear this: We want to know what you believe about the issues. We want to know what you are going to do. We want to be able to believe that you will actually do what you say if you’re elected. Try being honest with the people. Don’t tell us what the other guy might do. Tell us what YOU want to do.
The same goes for all politicians in all parties because sadly none of them seem to be above the mud-slinging, but I’ll word it this way because of the ad I’ve already seen this week: Jack Layton, tell us what those New Democrats are going to do and why it’s so new, and let US decide if we like it or not. And leave the Conservative platform to the Conservatives.
Comments
Sep. 11, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Jacqueline
Excellent post, Heather! Just tonight Sarah and I were discussing how much we dislike the mudslinging ads and how childish and useless they are. We were quite disheartened to see quite a number of conservatives ads that fit this bill.
Sep. 11, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by 3rsandahug
This is why I almost never turn on the TV during election season. Here in the states, we also have various organizations that run ads, usually attacking one or the other candiate. And besides our presidential election, we have a particularly nasty Senate race here. Blech! I agree with you - if they don't want to tell me what they will do if elected, I don't want to hear it.
Karen
Nov. 18, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Sean
Good insight Heather. Things are only worse, or at least the same, in the US. What scares me more though about the election in the US is that Obama spent a lot of time talking about the evil acts he would commit if elected, and people voted for him anyway. No one who voted for him will be able to claim ignorance, for Obama clearly took sides on the issues, and his side and the side of a Bible-believing Christian are clearly in opposition to one another. Praise be unto God that salvation is found in Jesus Christ alone, NOT in politicians.
Nov. 18, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by teabaglady
Amen to that, Sean! I wept for the US when I saw the results of this election. Praise God the "fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much!" There is always hope as long as we have breath to praise God and stand in the gap for these nations.
