I don’t know about you, but I have a headache from negative advertising. I rarely watch regular network television but last Sunday I had to turn on FOX to watch the Detroit Lions dismantle the Tennessee Titans.
The Lions took care of business, 52-14 but being forced to watch the commercials throughout the game was destructive to my physical wellbeing. Probably 80 percent of them were political and of those, all of them were negative. They were indeed nauseating, because I knew them to be untrue and unfair.
By negative, I mean disparaging your opponent. In this case, Harris going after Trump or vice-versa and Slotkin bashing Rogers and vice versa in the highly contested U.S. Senate race. All four candidates or the political action committees supporting them are insanely brutal in the mis-information and actual lies they advertise about their opponent.
Handlers believe negative ads work. They believe many voters are gullible enough to believe what they advertise therefore negative advertising has been a major part of political campaigns the past few years. They believe if a person here’s a lie enough times that it will become the truth. By major, I mean billions of dollars will be spent on negative advertising for presidential campaigns just this year. Not millions- we are talking billions. Heck Bill Gates just gave Kamala Harris, $50 million so more ads could be run.
I happen to believe the opposite. When you flood the airwaves with negative ads, I believe most voters tune you out. They are sick and tired of how well you can bash your opponent. They would much rather hear what you plan to do to make their lives better.
Maybe these national politicians should take their cue from their local counterparts. If you look through our newspaper you will see political ads, but not one candidate is bashing their opponent. They write about their experience and what they hope to accomplish. They actually ask for your vote instead of proclaiming not to vote for their opponent.
That’s how ads were in the past, until political pundits got the bright idea to air their opponents’ so-called misgivings instead of trumpet their own candidates’ successes. It has turned politics into a nasty business. The ads have fomented hatred, instead of civility.
I don’t know how many of us could put with these attacks on our character if we were running for election. It takes a thick skin, and someone who really covets the limelight. I think it turns away many bright, capable people because they don’t want to be subject to the ridicule.
I’ve never been one to advocate more laws or censorship, but we must figure out a way to limit negative political ads. Our favorite television programs cannot continually be bombarded with these messages of hatred.
Maybe it’s time to return to an age where civility was more important than negativity. Maybe its time candidates tell us what they are going to accomplish versus what their opponent is not. Name calling and lies should not be a part of our political landscape. Decency and respect should be.
