Alright Already!

The election is a month away and the political ads are driving me crazy! Just the number of them is bad enough. They run back-to-back and even repeat within the same program break.

However, it's the lies and half-truths that make me want to scream. Both major parties, all candidates. Exaggerations, critical facts deliberately left out, decade-old events....

ARGH!

I want to make considered, educated selections when I mark my ballot. However, the television ads offer little to no useful information. And it's so disappointing when the candidates of my choice play the half-truth game, too.

The political ads started with a trickle. Just a few, primarily focused on the candidate. Then came the first attack ads. They told me much of what's wrong with the opponent and little of what I should like about the candidate. Then came the response attack ads. Now the response to the response. With a month to go of more responses to response responses.

*sigh*

Such is the nature of politics. This election is no different than past elections. Historians can show us some real corkers from decades and centuries past.

Vote by Mail:

I love it! All elections in Oregon are now vote-by-mail. No absentee ballots necessary, since all will be mailed in. True, there's something to be said about going to the polls to conduct one's duty as a citizen. But so many times I started marking my ballot and came upon a race or measure I hadn't heard about and had no idea how to vote.

I now sit down with the voter's pamphlet and election materials to review them before I mark my ballot. If I come across something with which I'm unfamiliar, I refer to the materials for study before making my selection. I can do this at my convenience. No rushing to the poll after work in the rain and dark. No standing in line with other wet and dripping folks. No hurrying through the ballot with a line-up behind me.

Once my ballot is marked, I place it in the security envelope. This goes inside the pre-addressed mailing envelope that I sign. Slap on a stamp and drop it in the mailbox.

As for the obnoxious political ads -- perfect for potty breaks and refrigerator raids!