we need a way to use the big money spent on campaigns

[nannah]

to our favor...

We need people, when they see an ad repeatedly to think and say,
"Wow, someone is sure spending a lot of money to get this guy elected. What are they buying? How important could my feelings be to him/her. i'm not voting for anyone already bought and paid for."

We need to permeate the air with suspicion and distrust for heavily funded candidates. we can't out fund raise or out spend them; we need to use our heads by making their momentum work against them. i think that is the strategy for one of the martial arts, using the other person's momentum against them.

we need to make the visible effects of huge funding work against the candidate.

[nannah]

1. i posted this before going to work this morning

at lunch, a co worker came into the lunch room and began talking about all the signs around town for the upcoming election. She told us that she was NOT going to vote for candidates with big fancy signs or those who have signs everywhere. She said "I don't trust people who have so much money to spend on their election." This is not a person who aligns with those of us in the office who are progressive activists about local and national issues (there are a cluster of us, it's a biggish office). But she is able to see the connection between money spent on campaigns and how that influences the candidates voting. This is a teachable moment for Americans. The corruption is visible to many people. we need to use this awareness in a concerted effort; how can we use this opportunity?

[Suich]

2. I've thought that way for a long time.

I got an 8 page glossy from Didier in the mail yesterday...expensive piece of campaign advertising! (I wouldn't vote for him in a million years!)

:hi:

[nannah]

3. me too. and the more i think about it, the more it seems

to be a useful strategy for this election cycle. few people have read this post. i think my title was misleading.

[Curmudgeoness]

4. Would you vote for this person if they were of your political views,

and a RW evangelical wingnut was running against them? There is a dilemma here. What happens if your side is the side with all the money?

[nannah]

5. this is a screening tool not a precise decision maker

of course it is best to assess candidates in a multifaceted way, but a way to screen out the damaging lies (think swift boaters) that have had such impact in the last few elections would be helpful.

that said, i frequently am voting for the lesser of two evils in elections.

[Curmudgeoness]

6. Honey, we are almost all voting the lesser of two evils. It sucks. nt