Campaign Comments

Well, the 2012 Presidential Campaign is now in full swing, and you may be wondering what I will be having to say about it.  Probably not very much on this blog.  For the most part, I keep my political thoughts fairly private.

Today however, I noticed some political yard signs around the neighborhood, and I DO have a few thoughts to share on that.

First, I wonder if anyone really votes a certain way just because they saw a sign advertising one candidate or the other?  Whenever I have seen a political sign in someone's yard, I have never once said to myself, "Oh I guess I will vote for that guy."  Rather, I may be thinking, "Oh, I guess the folks living there are Republicans/Democrats," depending on the sign.

Another thought I often have is that the neighborhood gets junkier and junkier-looking as the election approaches, what with all the yard signs, banners, store front signs, and election decor.  I sometimes get a deja vu feeling taking me back to middle school student council elections.  I remind myself that this election involves adults, not adolescents.  Sometimes I have to do that several times.

Here's another thought I have.  If I were a gung-ho member of one of the political parties, and I wanted to donate funds to the cause, would I like it if my monies were spent on yard signs?

In spite of how I feel about the yard signs, I am mature enough to allow that others will have a difference of opinion with me on the importance of these advertisers.  Here is my mantra:

Let us agree to disagree agreeably.

Finally, I will be concerned about who will remove and dispose of the ugly yard signs.  I've learned to have this concern over many elections - seeing the election come and go and then months later people still have the offensive signs out on their properties.  We will see them along the roadways well into the next year, if history repeats itself.

Although I detest these mini billboards, and I thoroughly dislike the ugly political bantering that goes on in a typical election, there is one thing that I feel strongly about - the need to vote.  I will become informed of the platforms as best I can, and I will make up my own mind and vote intelligently. 

I will vote.  Will you?