by Pa Rock
Citizen Journalist
Being stuck at home for months on end thanks to the raging Trump Pandemic and a broken arm, I have developed all sorts of oddball strategies for keeping myself entertained. One that I enjoy is carefully reading the junk mail that arrives in my rural mailbox most days.
One of the primary sources of junk mail over the past few weeks has been political advertisements. I don't have any cable or satellite television subscriptions - other than a couple of streaming sources - so if advertisers want to get to me they must rely on the internet or the US Mail. I am selective about the sites I visit on the internet, so going through the mail is the most obvious way to breach my home propaganda defenses. (I do take one local newspaper, and it, too, comes by mail.)
Missouri's primary election is this coming Tuesday, August 4th, so for the past couple of weeks I have been inundated with appeals by mail from various candidates - as well as some organizational materials related to a constitutional amendment that is on the August primary ballot. I received and voted my primary absentee ballot a few weeks ago, so appeals for my vote are futile, but nevertheless I enjoy sifting my way through all of the printed groveling.
In years past I have been subjected to pamphlets, brochures, and letters for particular candidates and causes, but this year there is a strong trend toward what I call "large postcards." The big postcards (5 and 3/4 inches by 11 inches) are on a thin cardboard and feature bold photos, illustrations, and stark lettering.
In the past two days I have received four - all identical in size. One was from a local bank promising me a colorful set of new kitchen knives if I switched my accounts to them (I'm holding out for something fun, like a spy drone!), and the other three were political. All were addressed to me personally.
One was from a Republican who is running for sheriff, and it was encouraging me to vote for him over another Republican in the primary. His postcard was well designed and presented a clear message, and I suspect that he will do well on Tuesday. I also suspect that I will hear from his opponent in Monday's mail. Communications from either won't affect my vote - which was on a Democratic primary ballot and is already in the ballot box - but the Post Office and I appreciate any mail that comes my way.
And then I received two big postcards from Missouri's Club for Growth, a fascist organization that openly promotes the very worst in society. (But again, the Post Office and I both appreciate the fact that they chose to spend money contacting me. I am always amused by what the Missouri Club for Growth has to say, and the Post Office appreciates their patronage.)
One of the cards from the Missouri Club for Growth was an appeal to vote "no" on Amendment 2, the ballot initiative that would expand Missouri Medicaid. The Club referred to it as "socialized medicine" on one side of the card, and "Obamacare-style socialized medicine" on the other. Expanding Medicaid is not socialized medicine, of course, no matter how much I personally might wish that it was. The big postcard also included some "facts,' none of which were actually factual. One of the "facts" it cited was that expanding Medicaid would leave less resources for public education and law enforcement - leaving me, at least, to wonder when the Missouri Club for Growth ever had any interest in supporting public education?
The illustrations on that big postcard were also noteworthy. One side featured a stack of hundred dollar bills, presumably money that would be "lost" if the government began doing more to provide people with affordable health care. The other side featured large color photos of the two oldest Democrats in America - Bernie Sanders and Nancy Pelosi - along with the words "Radical Democrats" in red lettering just below their pictures.
It was all very subtle!
The other big postcard from the Missouri Club for Growth was promoting one local Republican candidate for the state senate over a couple of others. It is unique - and problematic - for the Club because the candidate it is supporting does not seem to have the support of the local Republican establishment - and, in fact, two local legislators are endorsing a different candidate - and the local print and radio ads seem to be running strongly against the Club's preferred candidate. My sense is that the Missouri Club for Growth will lose this race bigly, and that loss will not help its reputation in south-central Missouri.
We'll see on Tuesday. But meanwhile keep those big postcards coming in. The Post Office and I really appreciate them!
Citizen Journalist
Being stuck at home for months on end thanks to the raging Trump Pandemic and a broken arm, I have developed all sorts of oddball strategies for keeping myself entertained. One that I enjoy is carefully reading the junk mail that arrives in my rural mailbox most days.
One of the primary sources of junk mail over the past few weeks has been political advertisements. I don't have any cable or satellite television subscriptions - other than a couple of streaming sources - so if advertisers want to get to me they must rely on the internet or the US Mail. I am selective about the sites I visit on the internet, so going through the mail is the most obvious way to breach my home propaganda defenses. (I do take one local newspaper, and it, too, comes by mail.)
Missouri's primary election is this coming Tuesday, August 4th, so for the past couple of weeks I have been inundated with appeals by mail from various candidates - as well as some organizational materials related to a constitutional amendment that is on the August primary ballot. I received and voted my primary absentee ballot a few weeks ago, so appeals for my vote are futile, but nevertheless I enjoy sifting my way through all of the printed groveling.
In years past I have been subjected to pamphlets, brochures, and letters for particular candidates and causes, but this year there is a strong trend toward what I call "large postcards." The big postcards (5 and 3/4 inches by 11 inches) are on a thin cardboard and feature bold photos, illustrations, and stark lettering.
In the past two days I have received four - all identical in size. One was from a local bank promising me a colorful set of new kitchen knives if I switched my accounts to them (I'm holding out for something fun, like a spy drone!), and the other three were political. All were addressed to me personally.
One was from a Republican who is running for sheriff, and it was encouraging me to vote for him over another Republican in the primary. His postcard was well designed and presented a clear message, and I suspect that he will do well on Tuesday. I also suspect that I will hear from his opponent in Monday's mail. Communications from either won't affect my vote - which was on a Democratic primary ballot and is already in the ballot box - but the Post Office and I appreciate any mail that comes my way.
And then I received two big postcards from Missouri's Club for Growth, a fascist organization that openly promotes the very worst in society. (But again, the Post Office and I both appreciate the fact that they chose to spend money contacting me. I am always amused by what the Missouri Club for Growth has to say, and the Post Office appreciates their patronage.)
One of the cards from the Missouri Club for Growth was an appeal to vote "no" on Amendment 2, the ballot initiative that would expand Missouri Medicaid. The Club referred to it as "socialized medicine" on one side of the card, and "Obamacare-style socialized medicine" on the other. Expanding Medicaid is not socialized medicine, of course, no matter how much I personally might wish that it was. The big postcard also included some "facts,' none of which were actually factual. One of the "facts" it cited was that expanding Medicaid would leave less resources for public education and law enforcement - leaving me, at least, to wonder when the Missouri Club for Growth ever had any interest in supporting public education?
The illustrations on that big postcard were also noteworthy. One side featured a stack of hundred dollar bills, presumably money that would be "lost" if the government began doing more to provide people with affordable health care. The other side featured large color photos of the two oldest Democrats in America - Bernie Sanders and Nancy Pelosi - along with the words "Radical Democrats" in red lettering just below their pictures.
It was all very subtle!
The other big postcard from the Missouri Club for Growth was promoting one local Republican candidate for the state senate over a couple of others. It is unique - and problematic - for the Club because the candidate it is supporting does not seem to have the support of the local Republican establishment - and, in fact, two local legislators are endorsing a different candidate - and the local print and radio ads seem to be running strongly against the Club's preferred candidate. My sense is that the Missouri Club for Growth will lose this race bigly, and that loss will not help its reputation in south-central Missouri.
We'll see on Tuesday. But meanwhile keep those big postcards coming in. The Post Office and I really appreciate them!
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