Thursday, September 17, 2009

Oh dear god, please stop the attack ads.

I try to keep well-informed on Canadian politics. But because it can be so polarizing, I try to keep my opinions more or less to myself, and try to stay neutral, re-evaluating my position every time an election rolls around. Seems almost yearly now.

Watching some TV this evening, I was quite disheartened to watch the most recent slough of Conservative ads, taking aim at Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff. The ads centre around Ignatieff’s supposed backing of the Liberal-NDP coalition that almost materialized last December.

What they count on (sadly, most of the time it probably works) is us forgetting was that Ignatieff was publicly hesitant to proceed with the coalition, at a time when he was a prominent party member, but not leader. He came forward with “A coalition if necessary, but not necessarily a coalition”. Trying and spread an idea that he is reckless and untrustworthy is not fair. I’ll make up my mind on their policies if necessary, but I do not appreciate the lies of omission in these ads.

To any political party considering negative ads:

WHEN YOU WASTE MY TIME TELLING ME I SHOULDN’T VOTE FOR SOMEONE, THAT MAKES ME LESS INCLINED TO VOTE FOR YOU

Please stop confusing the issues. Tell me what you have to offer, not exaggerations of the opposite side.

I guess I should be grateful, though. Canadian politics are nasty, but they pale in comparison to recent US political ridiculousness.

1 comment:

x-ine said...

I agree. I see that garbage on the TV, and think to myself: THIS is what you're wasting tax dollars on?! Attack ads, generally speaking, lack class. And I am ALL about the class.