Today at the Forum: Voters, Stress Your Brains...Please

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Voters, Stress Your Brains...Please

Voting down party lines, going with the most recognized name, recalling things heard in a campaign ad somewhere, taking something we heard on ‘talk’ radio as fact…are these things that have influenced you when you have been in the voting booth? Well, you’re not alone because I have most certainly been guilty at one point or another. And it looks like many candidates may be counting on the good old ‘voter turnout’ to do the same.

Well, here is your chance to say no more to the mud slinging, being poked at on the national media scene by Jon Stewart or others and let it be known what you know about the issues. It’s time to really ‘wake up’ Ohio Voters, stress your brains and tell the Editorial Board and this Blog what are the issues that will drive you to the voting polls and determine which way you vote. Is it ‘just the Iraq war’ as a today’s Your Voice column implies and are you really ‘qualified to vote’ as the author laments?

In many ways it is much easier to go to the polls with our ‘gut’ instincts and media sound bites but today when the war is a major concern, oil companies have record profits while wages for the average person stay the same, regard and respect for the US globally has to be a concern for all Americans, the rising cost of healthcare is forcing more and more Americans to be without any insurance, Ohio’s college tuition rates are the second highest in the country, and the list goes on…you bet I had my brain get on the treadmill and learn about where the candidates stand on these issues and so many more that will impact me, my kids and all of you. Though I normally advocate avoiding stress, a little bit of stressing the brain in this case might be what the doctor and I recommend in this case...no, I’m not talking about the Doctor running in the 2nd district.

What have you done to exercise you brain in learning about issues and for what and where candidates stand? What will your brain take with you when you enter the voting booth on Nov. 7th?

10 Comments:

at 1:59 PM, October 31, 2006

Anonymous said...

Any editorial board that can, in good conscience, endorse Jean Schmidt, isn't qualified to understand any reasons a well-infomred person might have for voting.

This is not about politics--endorse Chabot-if you like--I realize you did not, endorse Blackwell--if you like--I realize you did. But endorsing Jean Schmidt is inescusable. She is vacuous.

at 4:48 PM, October 31, 2006

Anonymous said...

There are plenty of reasons to either blast or congratulate the Enquirer, depending which direction one's personal beliefs lean. I have noticed a bit of duplicity in the endorsements, which also bears witness to the leanings of the members of the boards. But as far as cutting through the negativity and providing at some sort of summary of each candidate's positions, the Enquirer can be cautiously commended.

I personally am a proud independent, mainly because I generally loathe both major parties on principle. In Communist countries one votes for the party; In the USA I vote for a person to represent me.

Here's the problem: with the current mentality of the national campaigns to trash the opponent, it is more difficult to find substantive information. But one of the best places is the candidate's own websites. For instance, the two ladies battling for the 2nd District both have websites that actually describe what the ladies think about issues! Don't worry, there is still a good chunk of negativity there, but roses do grow from the manure. Check these out (in no particular order):

www.wulsinforcongress.com
www.jeanschmidt.com

Perhaps it would be a good idea for the Enquirer to publicize the websites of the candidates and the various groups supporting/opposing the issues, and encourage everyone to visit the sites. As far as I know, Internet access is available to the public at EVERY public library in the area, for those who do not have other access.

Of course, there are the folks whose vote will be directed by their party affiliation. Those folks can ignore me, because I suspect their minds are made up for them (thinly veiled criticism of blind party loyalty).

It takes a little time, but it's well worth it to get direct information on any race or issue you might be uncertain about.

Too late for this year, but...
Another idea for the Enquirer: we get special inserts at the beginning of the Reds season and the Bengals season, Tall Stacks, and so on. How about a special section the Sunday before Election Day. Each candidate and and each side of issues (county-wide, state-wide and federal) gets one-half page. All others get one quarter page. The national committees are prohibited; the material can come only from local sources. Make the campaigns pay for their space. If they don't want to pay, tough luck. There are only two rules:

1. The material must somewhere include a statement of position explaining the main points or topics the candidate wishes to highlight about his/her candidacy, along with a Website address.

2. Except for compare and contrast on specific issues, no mention of the opponent or her/his party affiliation is permitted. The language used must be civil and professionally appropriate; if you wouldn't describe your spouse, your friend or your boss (to his/her face) like that, you can't use it. Personal attacks of any sort are strictly forbidden.

I see an added advantage to the special section: it will give candidates of alternate parties an even chance to get their messages to the electorate. I'd like to hear more about what the Libertarians and Greens have to offer. They might not win; that doesn't mean they don't gave valid points and good ideas.

at 6:08 PM, October 31, 2006

Anonymous said...

A lot of people equate Mason with one out of control School Board member who was voted by many members of this community who did not know who she was and what she stood for. I like your comment that we need to do a lot of research and avoid voting for an issue or person if you are not making an informed decision.
Learn from the poor Mason folks are stuck with a person who is embarassing this community and tearing down our schools and what they stand for.

at 9:49 PM, October 31, 2006

Anonymous said...

There are plenty of reaons to either blast or congratulate the Enquirer for their endorsements, depending on which direction one leans. I personally am stunned by some of the fuzzy logic the Board has come up with this time. But to their credit, they do reference specific ideas and positions of the candidates and issues (although not consistently).

I am a proud independent, mainly because I generally loathe both major parties. Neither party is in my opinion worth supporting financially or otherwise until the dearth of credibility and honor subsides. I don't vote for a party, I vote for a person to represent me.

Looking at the mail and TV offerings is worthless to help one choose a candidate or issue. But I have found that, if you want to get past the negativity, look at the candidate's own web sites. Don't worry, there is plenty of negative slop still available there. But you can at least find a candidate's positions and ideas laid out there somewhere. For instance, check out (in no particur order):

www.wulsinforcongress.com
www.jeanschmidt.com

It takes a little time, but for someone who is still undecided, or wants information free of opponent spin, seek out the websites. As far as I know, every public library offers free Internet access, so this information should be accessible to all. Perhaps civic organizations could organize some sort of information assistance groups (non-partisan, thank you).

Of course, those with strong party affiliations already have their minds made up for them by the party machine, so they don't care about being informed voters anyway (thinly veiled criticism of blind party loyalty).

To help out the folks who aren't quite computer literate, I have a suggestion (too late for this year) for the Enquirer: We have special sections in the paper for the new Reds season, the new Bengals season, Tall Stacks, and so on. And the paper does an admirable job with the election special where they lay out the races and issues. But I would like to see a special section the Sunday before Election Day, in the candidate's own words. Major executive and legislative races (governor, federal races, county commissioner, Cincinnati Council when in season) as well as statewide issues get one-half page.
Other races get 1/4 or 1/8 page, depending on the size of the race. Everyone is invited, but they have to pay for their own ads. Someone doesn't want to pay, tough luck.

There would be only two rules:

1. The material must come from local sources; paid for and created by the candidate's or advocacy group's local campaign. No national campaign material permitted.

2. The candidate or advocacy group may only discuss his/her own ideas, policies, achievements and philosophies. Compare and contrast statements with one's opponent would be permitted as long as the statements are factual and not misleading (Factcheck.org or a similar institution would be useful here). The language used must be civil and appropriate; if you wouldn't describe your spouse, your friend or your boss (to her/his face) like that, you can't say it in the ad. Personal attacks and accusations are strictly forbidden.

The logistics (printing schedule, and so on) can be determined by the Enquirer so that the material can be ready in time for that last Sunday. There should be no excuse from a candidate saying they want to wait till the last minute. Their positions should be established well in advance; the only excuse for waiting is to have the ability to make last-minute attack ads.

Candidates submitting ad materials that violate these rules will have their ad lifted, and replaced with a banner stating that the candidate violated the rules. I would personally be interested in volunteering for a board that could be set up to vett the ads.

With a little practice, it might surprise us what campaigns are really capable of.

at 10:04 PM, October 31, 2006

Anonymous said...

I read the national newspapers constantly and I use several blogs that provide headline links and up to 4 paragraphs so that I can find the information I am interested in quickly. I never allow television pundits to influence my opinion, though I am a voaracious reader of the opinion pages of several large market newspapers. That being said I am truly alarmed by the news and the direction this country is headed. For instance we have Senator James Inhofe (R-OK)who calls global warming the greatest hoax of all time. Are we really willing to trust the future of mankind to a politician rather than a scientist? Unfortunately truth is being drowned out by ideology.

at 10:58 PM, October 31, 2006

Anonymous said...

I will take my fear into the voting booth. Not the fear of 9/11 type attacks - but the fear of the internal attacks upon our national democracy; the loss of rights, the loss of privacy, the loss of separation of church and state and the separation of powers. I have no fear that the people of this nation can and will rise up to face any enemy attacking us and our way of life - no fear, we ARE a courageous, strong and eager citizenry who will answer the demand. But I AM truely afraid that we will not fight the fight within that undermines the way of life we and our sons and daughters would risk our lives to defend.
Signing statements, an unfounded war, torture, presumptions of innocense, ... corruption, cover ups, no big contracts, price gauging at the pumps - and to a greater degree a loss of our system of checks and balances, a loss of oversight, a loss of integrity - this whole political process.
I will take into the voting booth my fear of what will happen to this nation if we don't demand change ... without it, who will ever chose to defend her.
God bless her, and protect her... vote for change and save her.

at 5:14 PM, November 01, 2006

Anonymous said...

How to Choose For Whom to Vote:

1. Endorsed by Enquirer? Eliminate.

2. Printed name has "(R)" after it? Eliminate.

3. Candidate's IQ seems lower than their body temperature? Eliminate.

4. Vote for any remaining candidates. (Hint-- Won't take long.)

at 3:28 PM, November 02, 2006

Anonymous said...

There is an old saying, Shakila, that you can put earrings on a pig, but it's still a pig. The electorate is never going to meet anyone's high expectations of being deeply interested in elections, of spending time to research the candidates and issues, or even obtaining a sample ballot from the Board of Elections so that they will not have any surprises when they go to cast their vote. People is people, and we have to deal with that. (Why do you think the candidates have sunk to such low extremes this year?) I have spent a lot of time and effort to make sure I know who and what I want to support when I vote, but my vote counts no more than the person who goes in and throws a dart at the ballot. That's just the way things work.

at 9:54 PM, November 02, 2006

Anonymous said...

This year all the voters have an obligation,to vote for the issues in mind and not vote for the soundbites. Voters responded to soundbites of fear in 04 and have gotten nothing but continual pain and suffering, both home and abroad. Please don't shoot our own feet again.

at 11:44 AM, November 03, 2006

Anonymous said...

smartvoter.org is a Nonpartisan website with some helpful information about candidates, issues, and where the candidates stand on issues!

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Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Voters, Stress Your Brains...Please

10 Comments: