What Do You Want To Know?
It’s the middle of summer in a crucial election year…the time in between a primary election and Labor Day, when folks really start paying attention.
And that means it’s the time for all sorts of information to come out about candidates…but what do you want to know?
Lately, we’ve been treated to stories about candidates—on both sides—concerning their financial situation: what’s their net worth, how have they financed their businesses, what missteps may have been made along the way.
In short, it’s dirt—but how relevant is it to carrying out the duties of an office? In many cases, it does make a difference—if you’re seeking a job where you are handling my tax money, I want to know how well or how poorly you have handled yours. And if there is a difference between the public persona you are projecting and reality—I want to know that, too.
Too often, however, it’s mud thrown without context and makes most voters simply tune out about the race or politics in general.
Perhaps it’s not time yet. But I’m truly waiting for specific proposals about what you would do in office…not why I should not vote for your opponent. Sure, this is the “frame your opponent” part of the campaign…it follows the “frame yourself positively” part.
But I’m looking at the current flow of news through a lens of “how will that impact their ability to do their job?”…and when we get to issues, through a lens of “nice promise, but is that something you can actually make happen?”
We’ll have the chance to find out some of this when our “Iowa Talking Points—The Candidates” series goes back into production next month. Given much of what passes for information these days, it’s not soon enough.
