Caffeinated Politics

If you are like me, you have given up watching live television programming now populated with campaign ads that are simply awful. I simply will not watch the wretched campaign ads that make me wonder who they’re trying to sway. We record everything on television, and the remote control becomes an essential part of the viewing process. Instead of mindless smack ads, think about how much better-informed voters would be if ads talked about things folks in communities across the state discuss. (What a crazy idea.)

With sunshine and lots of fallen leaves to be raked up, I spent part of Monday outdoors. I thought about the election as I talked with people who walked by our home and commented on what we will do at the ballot box in two weeks. After a couple of conversations, I got a notepad and, through the afternoon, added topics passersby were interested in or ones that came to mind as we dealt with the colorful leaves.

Here is a list, in no particular order of importance or weight, that would make for more meaningful advertisements if candidates wanted to stop the mudfest and add gravitas to the issues voters want answers to in Wisconsin.

1. Wisconsin’s PFAS Problem. The state continues grappling with “forever chemicals” in drinking water, cleanup efforts, and political fights over who pays. State candidates might offer ideas on how to make polluters pay every penny instead of leaving taxpayers holding the bill.

2. The Housing Crisis In Small-Town Wisconsin. Madison and Milwaukee get the headlines with homeless issues, but workforce housing shortages are now affecting communities across the state. Businesses cannot find workers because workers cannot find places to live. That turns housing from a real estate issue into an issue of economic survival.

3. Wisconsin’s Aging Population/Young People Leaving State. Who staffs hospitals, schools, factories, and local governments when fewer workers are available? In that same vein, we must identify incentives that keep young people in rural Wisconsin. The question isn’t why young people leave. The better question is why they would stay.

4. The Cost of Political Tribalism. After years of razor-thin elections and endless, toxic political warfare, has Wisconsin grown exhausted by constant partisan strife?  Might candidates want to tell voters whether they intend to solve problems or become partisan bomb-throwing warriors who even use teenage pages in Congress as fodder for political anger?

5. Uplifting Our Small Towns. Many communities struggle, even as they remain the backbone of the state’s identity.  Ads about preserving local newspapers, libraries, diners, festivals, and civic life could resonate with voters.

I recognize that the likelihood of serious political ads on television is as remote as leaves remaining in a neat pile as a brisk wind blows.  But at least we have a working list if any candidate wants to craft a thoughtful 60-second ad that meets voters where they live.