Thursday, October 16, 2008

Does Your Lawn Have Political Views?

This is an open letter to anyone who reads it as I am looking for an answer to a question that has bothered me for a long time:

What is the purpose of lawn signs for presidential candidates from the 2 major parties?

Note that the scope is limited to:
- Presidential elections and the major parties. I'm not talking about school board or park and rec elections where name recognition is probably the biggest factor (unfortunately) in the decision process for many people.
-I'm also not referring to fringe parties like the People's Socialist Vegan party.

No this is strictly limited to the Republicans and the Democrats.

-Are people looking for validation of their choice: "If I put a lawn sign out and enough other people also put the same sign up I must be making the right decision."

-Is it just to get back at the neighbor who still hasn't painted his fence and you know is a die hard supporter of the opposite party?

-Is it to aerate the lawn?

Does anyone really base their presidential voting decision on a cheap cardboard sign stuck in a lawn, be it their neighbor's or a stranger's? If so should they really be allowed to vote?

So I ask again, what is the point?

Other than emphasizing and exacerbating differences, getting neighbors angry or distrustful, looking ugly, and wasting money that could be spent on more top notch television commercials the focus so well on the issues, what purpose do they serve?

If you have ever put up a lawn sign for a presidential candidate please let me know what you were hoping to achieve with it.

Personally I don't think anyone needs to know who I will vote for or why. I also don't feel any need to broadcast this information.

Is it just me who is a little "off" or out of touch? It wouldn't be the first time.

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