This year corporations, unions and the Democratic and Republican campaigns are expected to spend $10 million trying to get a victory in Florida’s 2nd Congressional District.
A lot of the advertising can’t be controlled by Congressman Steve Southerland or his challenger, Gwen Graham, because it is being bought by outside interest groups. We have never seen spending like this before in a local congressional race and the onslaught of advertising is making us weary.
When you look at it closely, $10 million doesn’t seem like much of a bargain.
After all, the winner will only have one vote in a Congress that has not seemed willing or able to do much of anything. Even if the Republicans take control of the Senate, most of their agenda will still be stymied by President Barack Obama. Even if things go the other way, Democrats won’t win the House and the country will most likely be left with the status quo of a gridlocked federal government.
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That isn’t to say this race is not important — it certainly is — but we also think that this — and most elections — should be stripped of their end-of-the-world hyperbole. The fate of America probably won’t rest on one representative, but they certainly can do some things to improve life in our part of the world.
Those positives, the good that can be done by a decent and hardworking U.S. representative, are usually ignored in favor of focusing on the negatives. Much of the money is being used on television advertisements that have a thimble’s worth of truth or less and are written to inspire fear or anger in voters. Angry people vote. Scared and worried people vote. Sadly, not enough people vote simply because it is their duty as citizens.
Thankfully, this election season is almost over and most of us can go back to watching our football, soap operas and cop shows in peace.
In the meantime, it might be worth it to consider what, exactly, all this money will buy.
Some groups and businesses give equally to both parties, while others feel they have no hope with one party and spend what they can on the other. If your interests mirror those of a certain political group or company or union, it can be helpful to see where they are spending.
Also, money sometimes chases successful candidates. People with different goals will give or support a candidate in hopes their interest will trump someone else’s. However, it is impossible for a candidate to support everyone’s issue when it’s time to vote on a bill.
It often comes down to character.
Will the candidate do the right thing despite how much money it may cost them or how much money will be used against them at election time? Will he or she do the right thing even if it costs them re-election?
These are important questions for an important time and it will be up to each voter to educate themselves on the issues, the special interests and the candidates, and decide.
We hope you take some time this week and think it all through.
Once you have, please go vote.