Where'd All the Good People Go?

Did you know that political campaign signs have a distinct smell? I do. This Saturday I went out to walk one more time for the local campaign I worked for this summer. When I walked in the office, I was bombarded with a familiar scent. I quickly recognized the smell of the first three weeks of my summer on the campaign trail.

Are you tired of negative, uninformative, vicious political attack ads? Apparently America cannot get enough of them because attack campaigning has been an even bigger trend this election season, adding to the overall negativity of the campaign.

Does opponent bashing work? It would surely seem that they must because of their popularity. But are they essential? I think not. I think that if more politicians stepped out with more positive campaigning that voters would respond in like fashion. One reason many campaigns resort to negative campaiging, I believe, is that they are not even convinced by their own candidate. Therefore, instead of trying to convince voters that their candidate is the one for the job, campaigns try to convince you that the other guy is ineffective, unethical, a jerk, and an all-around lousy guy.

The campaign I worked for this summer strove to remain on the positive sides. While the other candidates smeared each other, we simply advertised our candidate as the right man for the job. Voters did respond as our candidate defeated both of the others in the primary.

Maybe I'm still politically naive, but maybe we just need better candidates and then we'll have so better campaign ads.

Tomorrow the die is cast. It seems like Republicans have gained some momentum, but they are definitely still trailing. Hold on to your hats and glasses, folks, 'cause this here's the wildest ride in the wilderness.