Recently, I was listening to a discussion on CSpan and Sarah Paylan and her chances at the presidency were the topics of discussion. A caller made a comment that she would never be president, but she was someone that most people could adore. I thought about how I feel about most politicians, and my first thought was, “I try not to adore anyone in politics.” The other side of the coin is that I try not to demonize anyone in politics.
As we watch our congressmen and the president or the contenders for these positions, we hear them make speeches and read about the votes they make for and against legislation. We watch how they handle interviews with journalists. At times when the media is in the mood for scandal, we get to hear about extramarital affairs. This wealth of information at times causes us to despise or love politicians.
The media has become the conduit through which most of us receive our information about elected officials, yet we should remember that this information is delivered in such a way that plays on our emotions. The purpose is to persuade us to love one elected official and hate another. Even in speeches, some politicians have an appeal that is designed to play on the emotion of the listener. The problem is when we let our emotions get in the way of good judgment. When we demonize a president or congressman, we tend to overlook the contributions they make to our nation. Conversely, when we become attached to them, we may tend to overlook some decisions they make that are a detriment to our nation.
It sometimes annoys me when I hear someone say that they just hate some one in office, without giving any specific reasons. An example of this is Bill and Hillary Clinton. It seems that many people dislike them, but no one can point to something specific that causes them to feel this way. When someone asks about my opinion on an elected official, I might respond with, “well, I like what he’s doing with regard to.…” I usually talk about the things they are doing that pertain to their office. To me, saying that I love or hate a president or any other elected official is too simplistic. I want the conversation to focus more on the job they are doing as elected officials. If they are doing a good job, I will vote for them. If not, I will vote for someone else.

Objectivity is one of the strengths of Politivote. We exist merely to impart information on candidates or pieces of legislation. We do not favor either end of the political spectrum. We want people to have information so that they can make informed decisions on the legislation being considered and the officials they elect.