Don’t you wish that the politicians were required to follow the same standards they establish for multichannel marketers? We are required to provide truth in advertising, adhere to Do Not Call and CAN-SPAM lists, and generally operate with integrity.
Let’s forget for a moment that these requirements are the good business practices and just look at the inequities. Advertisements from one candidate claim that his competitor voted against a popular bill. Thirty seconds later, the competitor claims that she voted for the bill. What??? How can one person vote for and against the same bill? It appears that someone is lying, but it is left to the voters to figure out which one and to what degree.
This is reminiscent of snake oil salesmen who inspired plenty of anti-fraud laws. The problem is that the people who make the laws choose to exclude themselves from enforcement.
I can’t wait until the election is over. It isn’t the incessant advertisements, overflowing mailbox, saturated inbox, or filled voicemail that is wearing me down. It is my friends, family, and neighbors who keep asking me why the Do Not Call list isn’t working who are pushing me over the edge. When I explain that political campaigns and non-profit organizations are exempt, they want to know why. The only answer I have is that the people making the laws don’t want to be governed by them.
In 11 days, the election will be over. We will have a two-week reprieve while the parties celebrate their wins, lick their wounds, and plan their next campaign. Then, it will start all over again. After all, it is only four years until the next Presidential election.
Maybe we could all join together and push for a change in the law. I doubt we can get the politicians to revise the existing laws to include themselves. Apparently, all men are equal except the lawmakers. Since we usually have to choose between the lesser of the evils, perhaps we could get an option for “None of the Above” added to the ballots. In most cases, nobody would be better than the other choices!
