Moron Time

They say you can tell when a politician is behind in the polls, because that’s when they’ll put out the most desperate, idiotic, negative ads. They hire some voice talent who can sound creepy to ooze out the lines, and put together a montage of photos of their opposition with the most unendearing expressions.

“Candidate X voted to support killing American children and to cut off funding for a baby milk factory and advocates drilling for oil at ground zero” is the sort of thing we’re forced to sit through, either on radio or TV.

Now, one of the candidates for governor, Scott Walker, wants us to think that his opponent, Mark Neumann, based on a vote in congress well over a decade ago for some transportation bill, is Nancy Pelosi – because she voted for the same bill – which, by the way – Walker hailed as a good deal for Wisconsin when the bill was passed and signed into law. They're doing an ad point-counterpoint now. "You're Pelosi!" "No I'm not!" "Yes you are!"

I can’t wait for tomorrow’s primary to be over, so I can sit through the next round of moronic ads.

This sort of foolishness is done for one reason, and one reason alone: it works. At least, that’s what the political analysts say. On the other side of the coin….candidates often attempt to compare themselves to figures we revere, in an attempt to bask in the glory of their memory. You hear the name “Ronald Reagan” quite a bit. Presumably, he’s a positive figure; Pelosi, by analogy, is presumed to be a negative figure, from the Republican point of view.

Even on the local scene last week, Assembly candidate Brett Hulsey was asked by Gaylord Nelson’s daughter to remove the picture of Hulsey with her dad from one of his campaign flyers. Seems the former governor and senator’s daughter was not of the opinion that her dad would support Hulsey’s campaign. (To his credit, Hulsey recalled the brochures immediately.) Sometimes, posing for holy pictures backfires, I guess.

The closer the race, the dumber and nastier the ads. I’ve got a feeling we’re going to be fed a banquet of BS in the days following tomorrow’s primary, regardless of which candidates win.