I am to political campaigns like soft babies are to mosquitoes, apparently.
By the end of a long, expensive campaign season, we’ve all probably experienced every form of political advertising. You can’t watch TV for more than a few minutes without seeing an ad, Google now can deliver messages targeted to congressional districts, and my parents and co-workers have been peppered with phone calls.
As an unenrolled voter in Bangor, I’ve been targeted by an old-fashioned type of political advertising: the mailer.
Since Labor Day, I’ve gotten about 60 of them.
Most of the fliers that have crammed my mailbox have centered on my local state Senate race, in District 32 — the most expensive Maine Senate race this year, featuring incumbent Republican Sen. Nichi Farnham and Democratic challenger Geoffrey Gratwick — and House District 16 — also a hotly contested seat, with incumbent Republican Rep. Doug Damon and John Schneck, his Democratic challenger. Outside groups have spent nearly $350,000 on the two races as of Oct. 24, the BDN’s Matthew Stone reported last week.
Above are the mailers I’ve gotten that target those two races. I’ve received a handful of others, as well: four from Michaud for Congress; an errant handout from Mary Budd, who is running for the Maine House but not in my district; a suspiciously timed legislative update from Farnham; a creepy voter report card listing my (incorrect) voting record; and on Friday my first presidential mailer, urging me to vote for Mitt Romney because he supports traditional marriage. I have not received any mailers in Maine’s expensive U.S. Senate race nor one even mentioning Kevin Raye, Mike Michaud’s challenger in the 2nd District.
“This seems to be the heaviest year for political mail, for some time,” Tom Rizzo, a spokesman for the U.S. Postal Service in Maine, told the Sun Journal last month. He didn’t have precise numbers, but the number of mailers this year appeared to be greater than in 2008, Rizzo said.
On Thursday alone I received five mailers. On Friday I stopped by my house during lunch just to check my mailbox and was disappointed to find it empty.
As I got back into my car to head back to work, I noticed the postman walking down the other side of the street and intercepted him.
“Do you have any mail for me?”
He went through his stack and looked at me apologetically.
“Only these,” he said, as he handed me four more mailers.
NO MAS !!!
The only problem I have with political mailers is that they do not burn for very long and they do not throw much heat. Maybe we could do something to up the BTUs of these mailers to the point where they actually are beneficial for something. The best way to increase the fuel supply is to let the two major parties know that you remain “undecided”.
and with the glossy finish, they don’t absorb dog urine either.
Hamster litter for all !!!!!!!!!!!!
Has anyone else noticed that very few of the political mailers and none of the roadside signs list the candidate’s political party? I have found a couple that list their accomplishments in small print regarding being on a party committee, but you have to look deep for even that. Why is it that none of them have the courage of their political convictions to come right out and say that they are Republican, Democrat, Green, Bull Moose or whatever?
I have asked a few of the local candidates about this in person, and got nothing but squirming and foot scuffing. They all need to man-up, or woman-up and be proud of what and who they are, and not try to snow us with evasiveness.
Exactly….Good for you for saying that…I agree 100%
Mail volume was ridiculous to the max. We also had three visits from Gratwick campaigners, including Gratwick himself. I am not voting for any candidates that support the status quo system of elites and slaves, exhibit globalist agendas, advocate to interfere in private family matters, or use terms in their statements that come straight out of Agenda 21. This is supposed to be America, home of the free and the brave.
You should meet ’em at the door with the shotgun and have the conversation while cleaning it….it’s always fun to watch the ‘liberals’ squirm as I break every single one of their arguments and politely tell them there is no way in heak that I am voting for them or a republican
….it’s always fun to watch the ‘liberals’ squirm as I break every single one of their arguments and politely tell them there is no way in heak that I am voting for them or a republican..?????? That doesn’t made any sense.
I’m a liberal with a gun
For those of us with a P.O. box, there is a recycle bin at the post office.
Mine go right from the mailbox to the trash can in my garage. I don’t even bother to read them…
you know why all these people send out these mailings? because they work on a small % of undecided voters. it’s called politics. ever heard of it?
Flyers in the mail are not old fashioned…Relatively new thing. I don’t vote for anyone… local, state, or national that I have not met or know as a friend.
Sixty?!
I guess I’ve been lucky — I’ve only received four or five from Angus and another one or two each from my State senator and representative.
No pamphlets or fliers but i swear one more darn phone call and i might just be the next you see in court news.
Mine all go right into the trash.
i used to save them for fire starters
What really bugs me is the robocall political campaign phone calls. I had 8 on my message machine yesterday. One called today and left a message, “We’ll call you back.” I’m not picking up my phone until Nov. 7. BTW, I am on the do not call list.
I have not received ONE political phone call this year…
I make political contributions. At one point I was getting 3 calls per day. At least 10 per week. 60 mailers is nothing. Believe me.
My girlfriend calls me less than these jokers do. Hmmmm, maybe I should vote for her….or find another girlfriend.
Hooray for us! Same here — except that I dumped my landline and very few people have my cell number. I won’t rejoice for too long — they will find me!
Are you surprised that political calls are exempt from the Do Not Call list? Gee, how about that!
The only good thing about these flyers is someone had to make them, and deliver them so at least that two people have a job.
The true state of the USPS
As I got back into my car to head back to work, I noticed the postman
walking down the other side of the street and intercepted him.
“Do you have any mail for me?”
He went through his stack and looked at me apologetically.
“Only these,” he said, as he handed me four more mailers.
One little girls view of the election. :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjrthOPLAKM
I’ll tell you what. I live in Ohio and you would not believe the mailers this year. I wish I had kept them all so I could have counted them. I live in Hamilton County, one of the most fought for counties in the country. Go to get groceries, there’s a flyer on your windshield when you get back to your car. I walk a lot at a local park. The last week there’s a flyer on my windshield by the time I get back an hour later. I have an unlisted phone number. You think that makes a difference?? Hell no. Come evening the ringer gets turned off. I’ve a cell phone. That has been surprisingly quiet, not completely, but close. I thought there was a law about cell phones but I guess I was wrong. Also, the national Do Not Call doesn’t apply to home or any phones. Robo calls and political calls have driven me mad. So President Obama, Governor Romney, and Sherrod Brown will you please all go to hell….quietly. My name is Jim and I approve this message.
I will be so happy when this election is over so I can be rid of the t.v. ads, the phone calls, and the mailers. I voted two weeks ago by absentee ballot so that makes these annoying and intrusive calls, etc., feel even more annoying and intrusive. Add to that the negative campaigning and it’s no small wonder why so many people cannot, for the life of them, find a reason to be passionate about politics.
I’m not married, but we live together & those flyers add up fast when you get two of each. Please, Mr. Postman, enough is enough. *ONE* junk flyer per mailbox!
As for the phone calls, I answer (or else they call every hour, no kidding) & bluntly say “NO thank you”. I’m glad whoever it is on the other line has a job for a while & I’m sure ‘no thank you’ is the nicest thing they get all day.
Thank heavens it’s almost over.