The non-stop attack advertisements sound like middle-school kids shouting, "You're a poo-poo head." Followed by the rejoinder, "No you're a poo-poo head." Mostly I am very sorry for the family members of the candidates who had to listen to attacks upon their loved ones for the purpose of politics. Some even were the targets in some communities.
Worse, there is a price to pay for business people who run for office since the first step is to declare a party. Often members of the contradictory party then boycott that business such that the business suffers because someone wants to do their civic duty.
Why, oh why, would anyone with any kind of sense put up with such shabby treatment? More so there is the concern that the people we would like to get into public service will not submit to this kind of treatment. The business leaders of our communities support people running for office but often will not tolerate those personal false attacks, therefore, will never run for office.
The First Amendment question: can people knowingly lie but hide behind the Constitution's protection of free speech? Yes, they can and do. This does not mean there are no consequences for those who campaign by falsehood. We who value truth will remember falsehoods and act accordingly.
Even though an election has just ended if someone was thinking about running next time, that decision must be made soon to get all of the things done to have some kind of chance against an incumbent. But the sting of the false statements and insults are still ringing in our ears. We may forgive but never forget the lies told.
Certainly there are some candidates who decide to run for office to even old scores like the one who is trying to get even with those in middle school who called him "Fish Face." And there are some megalomaniacs who crave power for power's sake. If you told them that the way to get elected was to push a hard-boiled egg up main street at noon, there they would be doing it.
But many of the people running for office are just normal everyday citizens tired of yelling at the television. They decide to try to make a difference. Some won, some lost, most were treated to attacks that most normal people do not welcome.
Yes, there are some people who love a good scrap and will fight for fight's sake. There are some people who start fights just to be able to fight. Some have thick skins and are able to tolerate all sorts of abuse on the campaign trail. Most are like me in that intentional insults are remembered.
Why I am writing on getting someone to run for office right after an election has just ended is that more than half of the representatives in the New Mexico Legislature were unopposed in this recent election. We went through the motions of an election but the outcome was already decided before the first citizen voted.
We have a legislature not of the people since no opponents could be found. In some districts the seat, either Republican or Democrat is so safe that the opposition just cannot find someone to waste time and money in such an unwinnable race.
Part of this is the apportionment of districts to make safe Democrat and safe Republican districts. Both political parties push for that, sadly. If we are to take government back from the professional politicians we must break the barrier of safe districts.
The incumbency effect insured the entire congressional delegation was returned. There was some turnover in the New Mexico House, but not much. Again more than half of the representatives did not have to stay up waiting election day, they were unopposed. That needs to change. That change must start with citizens quietly deciding to run in the next election cycle.
Dr. Michael Swickard is co-host of radio talk show News New Mexico 6 to 9 a.m. Monday - Friday on a number of New Mexico radio stations and through streaming. Email: michael@swickard.com
