If It Were Legal
The American public has been subjected to mud-slinging radio and television political advertisements for the past 4 months. Candidates bash their opponents and their records over and over again with no let-up. I personally 'mute' my TV when the station I'm watching goes to a commercial break. I find little enlightenment in the political ads being presented to me. For the rare political ad that just presents a candidate's positions and program, should they be elected, I in fact do listen and base my election day vote on what I hear.
But what if we could change the rules for the campaign season. What if we could require candidates, political parties and their PACs to only air information on their candidate and they be prevented from even mentioning anything about any of their opponents! Candidates would be left with only being able to present their agenda should they be elected. As for the problem of candidates misrepresenting themselves, it would be left to the news media to review and report where a candidate lied or misrepresented themselves in their ads.
If only it were that easy, but the first amendment prevents this type of mud-slinging censorship. And the candidates are unlikely to agree to censor themselves because as soon a poll comes out showing them trailing one of their opponents, the mud slinging would begin. Politics has become an embarrassment in this country, and candidates have the right to make it that way all they want. And the politicians wonder why more and more voters stay home on election day. It's not because we need election day to be a holiday, but we waiting for politicians to clean up their act.
11/01/02 ( 487 )
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