Thoughts on Political Campaigns

Arkansas just finished up a round of primaries and will have run-off elections to futher narrow the field of candidates who will move into the general elections in November. Most notable among the candidates was the misguided notion that it is apparently necessary to speak negatively about one's opponent than to speak positively about oneself.

In any election is the potential for change. Voters are a funny lot and are sometimes hard to predict. Yet we voters are sometimes so predictable that it stops being funny. We will gripe and complain about the current state of affairs, and then we will step into the voting booth and select "more of the same".

I say "more of the same" because voters lean more toward name recongnition that anything else. I believe this to be the primary reason why incumbents enjoy such tremendous advantage. It is not that they are doing an exceptional job. In fact, it is the only thing that can help to explain why the general congressional approval rating among registered voters is less than 30% and yet most of these incumbents will return to their cozy offices.

There is a notable race in Arkansas in which a young Republican is working to unseat a very popular - and sometimes unchallenged - Democrat who has won reelection handily in his last five campaigns. It is a good and noble thing that there are men and women who are willing to enter into a race at such an extreme and apparent disadvantage. It is good for voters to have choices and to know that they do not have to continue the "more of the same" unless they so choose.

Mr. Andy Mayberry is running against incumbent Vic Snyder; pro-life vs pro-choice even though the pro-choice incumbent and his wife just celebrated the birth of their first child and the pro-life candidate has a young child who was born with spina bifida and is as full of life and love as any other child of grateful parents (the Mayberrys are!).

Mr. Snyder has managed to dodge the "he's a liberal" bullet in each of his campaigns and has survived challenges to his seat because of his opponents' tendencies to talk negatively about Mr. Snyder rather than positively about their own campaigns and platforms. These candidates also tend to ignore the reality that Mr. Snyder is well-deserving of the enormous respect that he enjoys in his district because of his character and integrity even if voters strongly disagree with him (many do).

It may be sad to say that Mr. Snyder will probably continue to serve in the House for as long as he likes until or unless his opponents wake up and realize that attacking this man will only work against them and never for them.

Mr. Snyder is no friend of abortion opponents, believing more in the doctrine of "choice" than in the sanctity of life that deserves our every consideration, respect, and protection especially at state and national levels. Mr. Snyder has also voted for more tax increases than tax cuts, believing in the power of the government and the necessity of seemingly unlimited funding at the expense of the public. Yet this man who seems "liberal" to some will enjoy reelection in a walk because he engages the public in issues discussions and not character assassinations.

OPPONENTS OF CONGRESSMAN SNYDER, PAY ATTENTION! You cannot challenge the character and integrity of a man whose character and integrity are beyond reproach. Notice how he continues to ignore you as you continually nip at his heels like some jealous poodle that can make a lot of noise but be of no real threat. And do not insult ME, an informed voter who actually pays attention to issues, by suggesting that simply being a "liberal" is enough to make me vote for the alternative.

For the record, this very shallow thought process is the reason why I believe the Republicans will lose their majority in at least one house of Congress if not both. Many voters are not interested in labels, and there is more than one issue at stake. Remember this and enjoy at least a more serious consideration from those who will listen as soon as you begin saying something - anything - of substance.