I am Tired of Annoying Attack Ad Mailers

I won’t miss those shiny, expensive-looking attack ad mailers that come in the mail.  

Every election.  They arrive just before I have to get up and cast that ballot.

Wow!  They are expensive-looking things.  One I got had the preferred Democratic slate on one side.  All smiling. Happy. Looking good.  On the other side was the demon they were attacking.  Looked almost like a confused Halloween costume character who had gone awry.  Who would want to vote for “that guy”?  Read all the stuff about him and you would know that he was hell-warmed over.

I guess that stuff will sway a few who had a few too many beers the night before.  But really?

You have probably shaken my hand at some time and it didn’t destroy your persona. You probably hold some political positions that I would not support but being seen with me won’t destroy your integrity.  Apparently not so if you are running for office.

I don’t dislike Democrats, Republicans, Independents, or anyone who wants to serve the community through elected office. It is a tough job to lead in the community and I admire them for wanting to do so.

Okay, the candidates will say they aren’t responsible for what political action committees do. But candidates do have some responsibility for the company they keep. You rarely hear of any one of them denouncing the twisted truths and lies written about the ‘opposition’ on their behalf.  

It surely troubles me that many of these attack ad mailers in our area come from Unions proudly bearing the name of the City’s Fire Department or whatever.  When you spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on each campaign candidate I suggest you not call me for a contribution to support your favorite charity project. My recommendation to you would be to take the money you spend on this junk mail and use it for a good cause to help the people you say you want to help.  

Unions are great institutions when they advocate for the workers.  When they push political candidates at the expense of worthy alternative candidates they are doing a disservice to the workers.  That is, the Union institution does NOT determine how an individual union member votes in the election. But they do spend the Union member’s money!!

The final election results will most likely show that not all members of the slate won in their run for office. That’s because the electorate is astute enough to know what they can and cannot believe is fact about the candidates.  

Personally, I would love to see these poor excuses for campaigning disappear.  They could be replaced with facts, positions, and what the candidates plan to do while in office.  That would be difficult for some of them because they have no plan and they really don’t know what they will do in office.

So. Congratulations to all the winners.  May you serve the community well. And I guess those political action committees will give us hell again next time around. Just don’t spend so much money on this stuff.  It’s not edifying.

John Goldstein

Pastor

Grace Church of Evergreen