Myth Busters
In addition to picking people to make decisions on our behalf, elections are also en exercise in myth busting. For example, the recent primary busted the myth that there was some kind of anti-status quo contingent of Republicans that would rise up and support Mike Protack.
So I got to wondering what myths will be busted on November 4th. Does “going negative” really pay? Do state Rep. incumbents (no matter how bad they are) need to quit or die to be removed from office?
Hmmm…?
Hopefully the myth that negative campaigning is effective will be shattered. It will be sweet if Kay Hagan beats Elizabeth Dole and Barack Obama beats John McCain.
We’ll see if negative campaigns work by how many GOP office holders and seekers in Delaware, come out on top Tuesday night.
The Delaware GOP has run a 100% negative campaign. It is startling.
“For example, the recent primary busted the myth that there was some kind of anti-status quo contingent of Republicans that would rise up and support Mike Protack.”
weak
“For example, the recent primary busted the myth that there was some kind of anti-status quo contingent of Republicans that would rise up and support Mike Protack.”
I dunno, it seemed like Protack had a viable strategy for many months when they couldn’t find anybody else who wanted to run. How quickly we forget.
Do state Rep. incumbents (no matter how bad they are) need to quit or die …
Not necessarily, as we have been witness to an occasional incumbent being defeated. NCCo Council on the otherhand, that has shown to be a career for life and we are all screwed for it.
Tom.
Really? How so? I hope you don’t mean to suggest that there are such a thing anti-status quo Republicans around.
It is not an expression of opinion to say that myth was utterly busted by Protack’s showing.
Mike….I mean Anon,
Do we really want to pretend that reality is not reality?
I’m delighted that the myth of the permanent republican majority is totally busted.
I’m also delighted that the business of trickle down economics is also totally busted.
Absolutely, totally, utterly, busted!
I’m a little surprised at the coverage of the negative campaigning as though it’s some kind of a new phenomenon. Isn’t it pretty standard fare for the trailing candidate to go negative? I don’t think it’s necessarily limited to one party or the other. The GOP has definitely mastered it, but that’s probably because they’ve had more practice over the past couple of decades given that – despite their wins – they’ve often trailed during the election.
Well lets peel the onion.
Republicans run negative ads because they are trailing.
They are trailing because their policies are not popular.
They policies are not popular because they help out the top 2% of the population.
I don’t disagree with you. I’m just saying that Dems run them, too, or did you miss the lovely ad about McCain’s cancer? C’mon, Jason, Obama’s been ahead almost the entire time and he’s run negative ads. They all do it.