Negative Ads

Forewarning: this is a vent! !
Here in Oklahoma we are scheduled to have primary elections next week. I take my privilege to vote seriously, and spend time learning about the candidates and their views. But there is one turn-off that makes it difficult to give a candidate a fair hearing. That is negative campaign ads.

Now I know issues can get heated. I'm not talking about disagreements over issues. I'm talking about twisting facts to make the other guy look bad. IMO if your stand on the issues isn't sufficient to stand on, you needn't run for office. One race has 2 candidates that both appear to have good views. I had not been able to decide between the 2. Then one started running an ad saying "We got rid of" the other- as if they were throwing out trash. I had already learned that he reached his term limits. So-WHO got rid of him? What a sham! Another race is to finish out the term of a senator who is retiring. One candidate started the negative stuff. The other's reply? He quoted the one he is running to replace about how he will run on the issues and his record, not smearing others. So, your negative ads won my vote for your opponent. Is that what you were after?

I so agree with you. For some reason elections in MD weren't that bad, but being close to VA we got to see their ads on TV too and they were always slinging mud at each other. Made me strongly dislike election season.

I subscribe to the third option, and don't vote. I will not be forced into the illusion of choice. Our system in it's inception was great for getting things accomplished, but with all bureaucracies the regulation got to much and now you spend your time in office staying in office attempting to not get things done for fear of retribution from your constituents.

I'm an advocate for a "No Confidence" vote. That's one that would throw out the current ballot and force a new election cycle. We settle, and I as where I don't think the Founding Fathers and Mothers would have wanted to see this. I'm not a friend of politicians. I don't know them, which wasn't really the case with the colonies.

Yes, I would love to be able to make "no confidence" votes!

However, I do not believe choice is an illusion. Perhaps the choice is for the lesser of 2 evils, but that CAN make a great difference.

***I'm biting my tongue, removing an appropriate but touchy example here***

I do think in my state we may be lucky. I watch the national news and see liberals and conservatives in both parties. I see a lot of those who, like you mentioned, who are just interested in staying in office. But there are a few who have run for office to do what they see as right. But yes, those are few and far between!

Fair enough.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dilemma

That seems to match the criteria. LOL.