Politicians Clear on Demands; Hazy on Positions

News&Views
The Armchair Curmudgeon
March 31, 2007

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It's that time again!

Over the past several weeks, it was virtually impossible not to know that somewhere in the background was lurching a very real election.

If nothing else, the fund-raising has moved into high gear and everybody and their mother seems to have mobilized to tap into the gold mine that
Howard Dean discovered several years back.

But there is one problem: Not everyone running for office is Howard.

This doesn't seem to deter the candidates who are flooding the internet with their requests. It seems almost like a hoard of starving sea gulls fighting among themselves so that they don't miss a crumb.

YOu see, the first reporting period ends today and the candidates report will be a reflection of their support among voters....so everyone is scratching everywhere for those extra few dollars that will push them over the line convince convincing voters and big fund raisers that they are capable of running a tough, aggressive campaign.

What this has done has forced those, like myself, whose budget for supporting candidates is limited, to make decisions early. Who is worthy of support? Who is promoting the issues that I can identify with? Do I know?


The trouble is that while the candidates are not bashful to ask for money, they are reluctant to demonstrate their positions so early in the game, which is construed as a strategic error.

Because unless you stand toe to toe on apple pie, no matter which way you come down on an issue, letting the other side know to early is to let them mount a campaign to attack your position.

However, in the process, the voter is forced to buy into someone who may be in line with your thinking, but, then again, may not.

As a result, we the voters who are being pressured to support their candidacies, must make our decisions without full information or a good feeling about who we are supporting.

That may sound like no big deal, but for most voters it means arriving at decisions long before we feel comfortable with who we have been pressured to back.

Consider the fact that there are two candidates who are front runners whose policies we don't even know.

There is something wrong with that picture.

Les Aaron
The Armchair Curmudgeon


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