Once More...

I blame Transmetropolitan. 

I didn't think I would, but I'm writing political again. Nothing major or inflammatory, I think. I just have one thing I want to discuss: Political Ads on TV.

Here's the thing. I keep seeing ads dedicated to telling me why I should NOT vote for a specific candidate. This really bugs me. 

If you wish me to vote for a specific candidate, tell me what that candidate wishes to accomplish. And, if he is seeking to be re-elected, tell me what he did while in office that would indicate he deserves to have the job again.

If you run ads telling me why I should not vote for other candidates, you're trying to get me to vote for your candidate by process of elimination. That's not a good way to get votes. That's a good way to convince people not to vote at all. Which I guess could possibly accomplish your objective in a way.

The only ad I've seen so far that fits what I would like to see in a political ad was for Jim Matheson. It listed what he voted for in Congress and what he would like to do. I'll have to see the ad a couple more times to remember all the points exactly, but there was one that stood out to me.

Jim Matheson voted to NOT give the members of Congress a pay raise. I kind of think that getting a pay raise should not be decided by the people getting the raise. I would think that a lot of people would say, "A raise? Do I want more money? Yes." So that one point makes me want to vote for Matheson.

But to get back to my main point, when running an ad tell me why I should vote for a candidate. I want to hear what he wants to accomplish and what he has already done.