The Political Communication Machine

I checked the mail yesterday. Admitedly, it had been a couple of days – but inside I found 21 pieces of direct mail from every candidate in my district plus some on the variety of measures that are up before the Oregon voter this term.

In my neighborhood, a couple of key races are taking center stage: Jim Torrey vs. Vicki Walker for Oregon State Senate and Chris Edwards vs. Debi Farr for State Representative. All four have inundated my mailbox with direct mail. Such that I don’t look at any of them anymore. I make a pile of the political ads and file them in a folder.

Why file? I keep that stuff for class purposes. If I were not a university instructor, they’d go straight to the recycle bin. Thousands of dollars in direct mail, ignored, pushed aside and recycled without a thought. Thousands of dollars in literature from both sides of the party aisle.

As a credit to the candidates, most are issues-focused. “I’m for kids,” “I’m for education, ” “I’m for better jobs.” Some are negative. “He’s a mudslinger,” “She’s not on your side.” But the most negative of the comments come from the left and attempt to tie local and statewide elections to the mistakes (and low approval ratings) of the Republican Party.

With the competing, conflicting and confusing messages that are a staple of every campaign season, I hope you’ve taken the time to define your values and issues and look for the candidates and the causes that line up most closely with your vision for Oregon’s (and the nation’s) future. Not Oregonian? That’s ok, we’ll forgive you. But your responsibility in your home state remains the same.

Public relations, like democracy, only works if people are paying attention and joining in the dialogue.

If you’ve not voted yet, the Oregon League of Women Voters puts out an excellent (non-partisan) voter’s guide.

To end with a chuckle… my favorite “oops” of the campaign season, was this one: