rtraverdavis
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2016
- Messages
- 4,078
@Sytes, I can’t really discern what you are advocating for here, if you are advocating for anything. Or are you just pointing out that polarized, extremist politics are bad? Are you saying that we Oregonians should try and swing liberal voters to a more conservative viewpoint, or that because of actions like 114 voters are going to swing that way anyway and it’s going to be bad for public lands?
I honestly don’t know what can be done to bring people to a more centrist position at the ballot box when the machinations of politics and media seem to be constantly working against it. We had an honest shot this year at electing a governor with no party affiliation, who is quite centrist. I supported her campaign, and voted for her, despite many people telling me that I was dumb for doing so and despite disagreeing with a number of her policy stances. I am sick and tired of the polarized status quo, and put my money where my mouth is.
The fact is, without major party backing (which brings a ton of money for advertising) the centrist Betsy Johnson’s campaign wallowed after the initial push this past summer. She was no longer prominent in the headlines, could no longer advertise, and most people that I know who supported her (but especially supported her centrist ideals) decided there was no way she could win. So people turned to the one or the other candidates of the big parties depending on their priorities rather than holding the course. Rather than voting for who they actually wanted. And of course she was crushed at the ballot box.
I don’t know what to do about that. It was the same for 114. Lots of money behind the initiative, lots of mailers and advertising saying it would help gun violence. I advocated against 114 and for Johnson within my fairly large circle of friends and family, but ultimately everyone did what they thought was best. And the middle got squeezed even harder.
I honestly don’t know what can be done to bring people to a more centrist position at the ballot box when the machinations of politics and media seem to be constantly working against it. We had an honest shot this year at electing a governor with no party affiliation, who is quite centrist. I supported her campaign, and voted for her, despite many people telling me that I was dumb for doing so and despite disagreeing with a number of her policy stances. I am sick and tired of the polarized status quo, and put my money where my mouth is.
The fact is, without major party backing (which brings a ton of money for advertising) the centrist Betsy Johnson’s campaign wallowed after the initial push this past summer. She was no longer prominent in the headlines, could no longer advertise, and most people that I know who supported her (but especially supported her centrist ideals) decided there was no way she could win. So people turned to the one or the other candidates of the big parties depending on their priorities rather than holding the course. Rather than voting for who they actually wanted. And of course she was crushed at the ballot box.
I don’t know what to do about that. It was the same for 114. Lots of money behind the initiative, lots of mailers and advertising saying it would help gun violence. I advocated against 114 and for Johnson within my fairly large circle of friends and family, but ultimately everyone did what they thought was best. And the middle got squeezed even harder.