According to political advertising, my choices are a dangerous extremist, a corrupt career politician, and somebody standing in a field who apparently owns a very trustworthy jacket.
Nobody seems particularly interested in explaining how they’ll do the fucking job.
Instead, we get ominous music, an unflattering photograph, and a voice explaining that the other candidate wants to destroy everything we’ve ever loved.
Then the next commercial explains that the person who paid for the first commercial is also planning to destroy everything we’ve ever loved.
Well, shit. This complicates things.
Somewhere between the accusations, I’d like to hear an actual answer.
What are you proposing? How would it work? What would it cost? And what happens when you discover that governing involves people who don’t agree with you?
Apparently, those questions don’t test as well as a grainy photograph and the word “RADICAL” stamped across somebody’s forehead.
And please stop showing me your opponent’s face while a narrator describes something terrible, then cutting to you smiling with a family and a golden retriever.
The dog seems lovely. I’m still waiting on your qualifications.
I’m not opposed to pointing out a candidate’s record. If someone made a bad decision, explain it. Give me the context. Tell me what you would have done differently.
But cutting six words out of a speech and surrounding them with thunder sounds doesn’t help me make an informed decision. It makes me reach for the mute button.
By the time the election arrives, I’ve heard plenty about why everybody is unfit for office.
Would it kill someone to spend thirty seconds explaining why they’re fit for it?
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