Tis the Season for Mudslinging and Political Ads

So as we approach Thanksgiving, the one thing I will be grateful for is not having television. Why? Well, this week marks the kick-off of the political ads candidates will be running for their govenorship campaigns. Not only will the public be spoon-fed highly calculated images of said political candidates, we will also be forced to try to figure out candidates positions on issues, that will no doubt, be hidden among all the mudslinging. While research has shown that the use of mass media, specifically television, is a requirement for any candidate to have a viable chance at winning his or her race, I personally feel that there is little, if any, truth in the ads. Regardless of party, there is so much glossing over and "airbrushing" of the candidate that no-one can really know if this is the 'real" person that will be making gubenatorial decisions. The mudslinging and taking down of the opponent usually is derived from an offensive position that points out all flaws. If an ad is really picked apart, most viewers gain absolutely no definite information about the politician or his or views on specific issues. Once the campaign begins to come to a close, say within the last two to three weeks, the public is forced to view an on-slot of these ads that truly just take up air time and costs millions of dollars in campaign funds. Instead of ads, the citizens of Texas would be far greater served by using all airtime to broadcast more televised debates, highlighting various issues important to the public at large. Those issues could include healthcare and education in our state. And who knows, if there were some actual campaign finance reform, additional funds not used for useless television ads could be funneled back through to some kind of voter education program. Until big changes happen in political ads, Texans will encounter the status quo for campaign ads and forced to watch televised "slick-imagery". For all the things I miss about television, they pale in comparison to the annoyance political ads cause me and for that I am truly grateful to be TV-free this govenor's race.



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