Letters to the Editor: Not Always what you think.

This time of year the “Letters to the Editor” section of the paper is a joke. I used to take those letters very seriously but have since discovered that campaigns and candidates use that section of the paper for their public relations.
Campaigns write letters, get people to agree to what’s said and sign the letters, and then send those letters to the paper to be published. You get up in the morning, sip on a cup of coffee and think, “Wow, look at all these people who like so-and-so.”
It’s fabricated support and while some or perhaps most of the folks who sign the letters agree with what someone else said, it didn’t start as their idea and the passion behind the letter is more than likely a staffer not the signer.
I can’t say that all letters in this section of the paper are fake. I’m sure there are some that are real. But I am very jaded when it comes to reading this section of the paper. I’d be willing to bet what you are reading is more public relations than passion for a candidate or his or her position.
It’s a lot like the Voter’s Pamphlet, smoke and mirrors, not a reflection of the truth.

This is Rick Dancer’s opinion and in no way reflects management or the beliefs of anyone connected or disconnected to this website, Facebook or other forms of social media. (Smile)

Full City Coffee

Aufderheide Drive Cycle Ride

Allen Alley: Let’s Tax Government

Leave The Pumpkins Alone

Stop the Political Madness

I just put the paper down and feel impressed to write this little article. I was reading the Editorial Page and seeing where the Independent Party is pulling its support for Robinson over his ads and putting support behind Defazio. I think Robinson has gone too far with his commercials but so has Defazio. What a joke. This move by the Independent part shows that a party is a party is a party.
Then another writer complains about campaign spending by saying the candidates he doesn’t like are overspending. Here’s a little newsflash.
THEY ARE ALL OVERSPENDING.
So, in my perfect world this is what we should do.
1) Put a cap on campaign spending. I know the Supreme Court says it’s unconstitutional but remember this is my perfect world.
I saw a report on CNN that said candidates in this country spent 2 billion dollars on elections this year, that’s criminal.
When I ran for Secretary of State my opponent and I spent close to 2.3 Million Dollars on that race. What we should do is limit state races to $500,000 each. You raise it, spend it and use it as an example of how you will spend taxpayers’ money when you are elected.
2) Open the primary in Oregon. I know the parties hate this idea but I don’t care. Why should all taxpayers pay for a process they can’t participate in? If non-affiliated or minor party candidates can’t vote in a primary, they shouldn’t have to pay for it. If we want to keep the primary let the two major parties fork out the money to pay for it.
3) Move the Primary to September, like they do in Washington DC. That way you cut the election season back and candidates won’t need to spend as much.
4) Limit what unions and big corporations can give to a campaign or candidate. Put a cap on that amount and if union members want to donate to a campaign let them do that on their own. There’s too much involvement by both groups (at the top level) in politics. Their employee’s and members should be able to give what they want but as organizations, they’ve gained too much control and that’s just wrong.

I’m sure I’ll think of other ideas, as will you, I hope.
I don’t write stuff like this very often because there are people out there who will save this and try to use it to attack me in the future. That’s how politics work in our country. But I’m so sick of the B.S. and tired of people using Public Relations and fear to get us to do what they want that I simply don’t care.
Oh, and I may change my mind on all of this if someone has a better answer or if I learn something new.
That doesn’t mean I’m fickle it simply means I’m alive.
The system hates that too.