Waiting at the Door for My Candidate to Come
It's October now. I am CEO of a political marketing company. This is a busy political month for us. We print any sort of campaign supplies ([http://www.campaignpros.com/campaign-packages.htm]) a candidate could need. We offer consulting and design work. We have resources for bulk mailing and automated phone calling. There is not much we can't offer a candidate running for any office. Why am I mentioning this? I tell you this to illustrate the relationships I create everyday with political candidates across the United States.
Why does this even matter? It might not, to you. But, allow me to explain.
I spend every minute of my day making sure a candidate has everything he or she needs to successfully run and win his campaign. I worry about his yard signs ([http://www.campaignpros.com/yard_signs.htm]), the quality and look of his palm cards, the script for his robo calls and even the sizes he should order for his t-shirts. In short, I spend a lot of time on the finer details of a campaign so the candidate doesn't have to. This leads me to the purpose of this, well...rant.
I am a 32-year old registered voter with a wife and two kids. I have voted in every election in my ward and district. My concern for my family and neighborhood have stirred up some pointed feelings about how local government is run. I am informed. So, I suppose it strikes a chord that, during the time I have owned my home and lived in my ward, not once has a candidate running for anything asked me to support them.
My front door is inviting and easy to access. I own a corner lot which makes my front yard a prime location for a yard sign. So, what's the deal? Is this political laziness? Are the candidates in my city so far removed from their constituents that they don't see the value in face-to-face interaction? Are these candidates so bad at fundraising that they can't scrape up enough money to purchase the proper quantity of yard signs or attractive palm cards?
I remarked to my wife the other day that I would vote for the first candidate to knock on my door. Political views are being set aside. I am looking for effort, a good ol' fashioned hand shake. That candidate doesn't have to kiss my kids and pose for a photo. All he has to do is show up and tell me why I should bother going out in the cold to vote for him.
Today's voters need to see a genuine effort made by candidates. Compare the brochures of three candidates in your area and you will probably notice that the issues each stands for are nearly the same. This isn't to say that issues aren't important, but how can a candidate know what is important to the voters if he doesn't ask?
My rant has come to an end. If you are reading this and think I am asking too much, I say it is time for you to ask more of your candidate before you check the box next to his or her name.
Why does this even matter? It might not, to you. But, allow me to explain.
I spend every minute of my day making sure a candidate has everything he or she needs to successfully run and win his campaign. I worry about his yard signs ([http://www.campaignpros.com/yard_signs.htm]), the quality and look of his palm cards, the script for his robo calls and even the sizes he should order for his t-shirts. In short, I spend a lot of time on the finer details of a campaign so the candidate doesn't have to. This leads me to the purpose of this, well...rant.
I am a 32-year old registered voter with a wife and two kids. I have voted in every election in my ward and district. My concern for my family and neighborhood have stirred up some pointed feelings about how local government is run. I am informed. So, I suppose it strikes a chord that, during the time I have owned my home and lived in my ward, not once has a candidate running for anything asked me to support them.
My front door is inviting and easy to access. I own a corner lot which makes my front yard a prime location for a yard sign. So, what's the deal? Is this political laziness? Are the candidates in my city so far removed from their constituents that they don't see the value in face-to-face interaction? Are these candidates so bad at fundraising that they can't scrape up enough money to purchase the proper quantity of yard signs or attractive palm cards?
I remarked to my wife the other day that I would vote for the first candidate to knock on my door. Political views are being set aside. I am looking for effort, a good ol' fashioned hand shake. That candidate doesn't have to kiss my kids and pose for a photo. All he has to do is show up and tell me why I should bother going out in the cold to vote for him.
Today's voters need to see a genuine effort made by candidates. Compare the brochures of three candidates in your area and you will probably notice that the issues each stands for are nearly the same. This isn't to say that issues aren't important, but how can a candidate know what is important to the voters if he doesn't ask?
My rant has come to an end. If you are reading this and think I am asking too much, I say it is time for you to ask more of your candidate before you check the box next to his or her name.
