I wholeheartedly approve of the Tribune-Review’s recent decision to restrict negative political ads (“Why Trib Total Media is nixing negative political ads,” Nov. 27, TribLIVE). The adjective-laden, hyperbolic diatribes really served no good purpose other than to reduce political discourse to a series of schoolyard taunts.
I also found it insulting to my intelligence for candidates to call their opponent “delusional,” or to say a candidate wants to “wreck the economy.” No candidate for office wrecks an economy on purpose. Nor do delusional people file to run for a political position, barring an intervention from their loved ones.
Politics is 95% opinion and 5% fact. Of course, we all know the old saying about the similarity of opinions and … a certain bodily opening. We all have at least one.
In politics, however, in order to sound like you’re not talking out of that … certain bodily opening, you have to understand the difference between facts and outrageous opinion.
Having candidates promote their ideas for calm comparison, instead of claiming their opponent is the spawn of Satan, should greatly aid voters in making informed decisions based on facts, existing voting records and promises made and kept.
Thanks to the editors for barring useless and insultingly childish political attack ads.
Thomas Nacey Jr.
Salem