Politics as Usual

Slander your opponent. That way you don't need a platform!!!


The elections are over but the signs are still up. Let us reflect on just what this election year brought us.

According to Advertising Age magazine, the total amount spent this year on political advertising will reach $2 billion, a hefty increase over 2004.

Let's see, how many million make a billion?

What did you think of the advertising?

Voters in six states with closely contested U.S. Senate races were recently asked by the Gallup Organization their opinion of the political advertising they'd seen this year.

The vast majority, in every state surveyed, described it as either "somewhat negative," "very negative" or "extremely negative." Roughly a third of those surveyed in each state said "extremely negative."

Well, how much of the $2 billion was spent on negative advertising?

If one conservatively estimates that at least half of all political advertising can be fairly described as "negative," then 2006 will be the first year that negative political advertising expenditures reached the $1 billion mark.

That's a dollar amount greater than all of the television, radio and print advertising buys done by Anheuser-Busch (estimated by Ad Age to be $919 million) in 2005.

Why don't major advertisers run negative ads?

Look through the list of the major advertisers in the U.S. and what strikes you is that all of them spend vast sums of money building and strengthening brands.

The nation's leading advertiser, Proctor & Gamble, spends over $4.5 billion annually doing just that. P&G spends not one dime on negative advertising because they understand that it is ultimately self-destructive.

What makes our politics so awful is not just the amount of money spent, but the amount of energy that is used by parties to amplify the negative in news-media coverage of politics. The news media are only too happy to comply. The truth is, they can't get enough of it.

Don't you agree, the effect of this constant and unrelenting assault on politicians and the political process is voter resignation and ultimately acceptance.

It must be true. They must all be hypocrites, fools and thieves.

Qualified, capable people avoid politics and the political process at all costs, thus diminishing the talent pool.

How else would Ted Kennedy keep getting reelected?

Corporate advertising contains a subtextual message; come work for us, we're in an exciting business. We're growing and it will only get better. The subtextual message of political advertising is: You'd be crazy to get involved. It's bad and it's only going to get worse.

When will we say enough is enough and embrace a party of hope and mission. A new political party that speaks to those beliefs? That's right a new party, think about it!!!!

Tea anyone?



That, my friends, is it for Wednesday. I am cutting it short to visit with my son. Stacey has been here for his weekend and is flying back to Reno tomorrow.

Tune in and turn on here tomorrow!!!!!