Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
We hope you enjoy your visit.


You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free.


Join our community!


If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features:

Username:   Password:
Add Reply
Political campaigning; which techniques work for you?
Topic Started: Jan 21 2008, 04:46 PM (160 Views)
Data's Cat's Sister
Member Avatar
Commodore
I'm sorry to pick on Fes here as I know he isn't the only person here who has said this, but at the moment he is the only one I can remember saying it.

Fes complained in another thread that one of the candidates in the American primaries had contacted him and asked him to vote for him. Fes complained that he didn't like being told who to vote for or words to that effect.

I've done a bit of political campaigning in my time and as a former politics student, had to listen to a lot of rants by people about how politicians are not in touch with the real world and don't care about people.

I found in my time as a campainger that people often didn't want to speak to us. They got angry, told us to get lost or just didn't want to spend the time to discuss politics with us. And yet at the same time these are often the people that moan that politicians don't know what they want.

My question is how does a politician get out of that catch 22 situation? How do they get the message out about what they want and what they stand for if people don't want to listen. And how can we have a functioning democracy where the people are truely involved with decision making and with their politicians when politicians regularly find themselves knocked back and actively discouraged from making contact?

If you had the choice, how would you like your politicians to interact with you?
Offline | Profile | Quote | ^
 
RTW
Member Avatar
Vice Admiral
Data's Cat's Sister
Jan 21 2008, 02:46 PM
If you had the choice, how would you like your politicians to interact with you?

I'd like them to leave me the hell alone.

When it comes to my vote campaigning is a waste of their time and money since I can't believe what they say. All I have to go on are their past actions.
Offline | Profile | Quote | ^
 
Fesarius
Member Avatar
Admiral
Quote:
 
Fes complained in another thread that one of the candidates in the American primaries had contacted him and asked him to vote for him. Fes complained that he didn't like being told who to vote for or words to that effect.

DCS,

No problem. I came home the other day, and had a 2.5 minute message on our answering machine, from a political candidate. I only listened to it in its entirely out of curiosity. I then erased it.

My complaint in another thread had mostly to do with Emails that I have received from friends(!) telling me for whom I should vote. This is one of the reasons I didn't vote for nearly twenty years.

I don't know how a politician can get out of the catch-22. :chin:
Offline | Profile | Quote | ^
 
Dandandat
Member Avatar
Time to put something here
If I had a choice? I would like them to talk to me personally. :c)

At the very least, I would want them to leave out the telemarketing – they shouldn’t be trying to sell me something.

What they should do is state there ideals and if I agree with them I will vote for them. They should then stick to those ideals instead of changing them, that way my vote will have meant something.
Offline | Profile | Quote | ^
 
Fesarius
Member Avatar
Admiral
Quote:
 
If you had the choice, how would you like your politicians to interact with you?

Snail mail (seriously). I like to read what politicians stand for, and I don't like the phone.
Offline | Profile | Quote | ^
 
Hoss
Member Avatar
Don't make me use my bare hands on you.
I would like them to have a web site that has more than just feel-good, hot air. For instance, this is where I stand, this is what I propose to do and this is my record on such. Not something like - "I want a brighter future for America and I want to bring about a change in the politcal system."

I also like to watch them discuss stuff on Sunday morning news shows, since it is about the only time that I make to watch such things on TV.

I am one of those who would actively go out and find the candidate that he wants, though.
Offline | Profile | Quote | ^
 
Fesarius
Member Avatar
Admiral
Quote:
 
I am one of those who would actively go out and find the candidate that he wants, though.

As am I. This is why I have researched Huckabee and Paul to some extent. I won't be voting for the hot air candidates.

Quote:
 
... since it is about the only time that I make to watch such things on TV.

And of course, college football.
Offline | Profile | Quote | ^
 
Hoss
Member Avatar
Don't make me use my bare hands on you.
Fesarius
Jan 21 2008, 07:28 PM
Quote:
 
I am one of those who would actively go out and find the candidate that he wants, though.

As am I. This is why I have researched Huckabee and Paul to some extent. I won't be voting for the hot air candidates.

Quote:
 
... since it is about the only time that I make to watch such things on TV.

And of course, college football.

I don't get much candidate information from college football.
Offline | Profile | Quote | ^
 
Dr. Noah
Sistertrek's Asian Correspondant
It's really nice lately being overseas and not subject to negative ads everywhere I look. I find it impressive when a candidate does not participate in negative campaigning especially when his/her opponent is. Admittedly, there is little a candidate does while campaigning that has any real impact on me other than that. I especially like to watch debates as they are usually about the candidate's perspective on the issues rather than mudslinging.

I decide by checking websites and voting records.
Offline | Profile | Quote | ^
 
Admiralbill_gomec
UberAdmiral
Which techniques work? None. I do my own research, especially for local candidates. I go to their speeches, read their literature, research their backgrounds, and view their past behavior (that would affect his/her performance in the job).
Offline | Profile | Quote | ^
 
ds9074
Member Avatar
Admiral
The thing is that people who go out of their way to find out about candidates are almost certainly a minority.

I think having a few billboards and posters up isnt a bad way to communicate your message to the masses. Its not forcing it on anyone but it can be quite effective and give details of how to get more information, for example through a website, if you want it.
Offline | Profile | Quote | ^
 
« Previous Topic · Politics and World Events Forum · Next Topic »
Add Reply

Tweet
comments powered by Disqus