Election Day has descended, finally, upon us. Now, for at least a couple of hours, the marketing marauders who have co-opted our mailboxes, our airwaves and our phone answering machines, will slink into the darkness again, until the next time comes that they'd like to assault us with their bullshit.
The best description I can think of of electioneering in America under the free-flowing cash of the Citizens United ruling is this one: "The beatings will continue until morale improves." That is, the onslaught will be ceaseless until we get elected or get a lobbying job.
Meanwhile, despite the literally thousands of ads I've been hit with, I did not receive one piece of information that was actually...informative.
I got reams of mail saying who sucked, who stole, who's against choice and for guns, who's under indictment or nearly so. I didn't see one ad, one missive, one commercial that said, "this is who I am. This is what I stand for."
The high-road, in other words, is closed. Take a detour through the Superfund site.
All of this political advertising I think stylistically reflects non-political advertising. We, the viewers, are victims. We will tell you what we want you to know, and tell you and tell you and tell you. We'll tell you everything but facts. We'll hit you loudly and relentlessly because you are clay waiting to be molded.
There's nothing anywhere that treats the viewer with respect.
Simple respect.
Nothing that doesn't simplify ad absurdam or blatantly lie or mislead. Nothing anywhere that makes a thoughtful, reasoned argument that respects the intelligence of the viewer.
The politicians suck.
I'm afraid we suck almost as heartily.
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