"Here we are, just as we ought to be, here we are, the people, here we are the spirit of dedication, here we are the way politics ought to be in America, the politics of happiness, politics of purpose, politics of joy; and that's the way it's going to be, all the way, too, from here on out."
--Hubert Humphrey's campaign announcement, April 27, 1968
Well, it seems as though Hubert Humphrey was as right about that as anything else that year. There may have been a few minutes of political joy in this country over the last half-century--Morning Again in America, Fleetwood Mac playing at a national convention--but mostly, politics ain't beanbag. Never has been.
All this might not come as a surprise to this state's Ethics Commission, but it doesn't seem pleased, either. It took action, sorta, the other day when it comes to campaigns that mislead voters. Or campaigns that try to mislead voters.
To explain:
Better yet, to sum up:
It's one of those tried-and-untrue campaign tactics to file a complaint against a candidate, then publicize that there has been a complaint filed. Neat trick. So the Arkansas Ethics Commission called for immediate discussion. And passed a resolution, for all the good it'll do.
"The use of statements such as 'a sworn complaint has been filed against Candidate A' or 'the Arkansas Ethics Commission is investigating a complaint against Candidate A' are inappropriate attempts to mislead the public," the resolution said. "Accordingly, it is the unanimous opinion ... that the use of that type of language in campaign communications is an unfair practice and should be viewed as such by voters."
So the commission doesn't already think such matters are viewed as such by voters? We have a higher opinion of folks around here.
The commission notes that it's required to take any complaint. But complaints don't mean anything until there's a resolution to the matter. It would seem that voters would understand that easy concept.
We've always thought that the best way to combat lies on the campaign trail is with truth. This state has lived through a bunch of misleading campaigns in just the last decade. Especially judicial campaigns. But the best way to combat a misleading advertisement or mailer or website is with more information. Better information. Accurate information with perspective and interpretation. And should a medium be proven wrong, corrected information. You know, information that you might find in a newspaper.
The Arkansas Ethics Commission wanted to go on the record. Which is fine, maybe even part of the job. But the truth will out. Remember the misleading and muddy "dark money" that tried to get Justice Courtney Goodson thrown off the bench? Turns out, she was re-elected. The people get it.
We're reminded of the story--which might even have some truth to it--of a U.S. Senate primary down in Florida in the 1950s. George A. Smathers was supposed to have said about his opponent: "Are you aware that Claude Pepper is known all over Washington as a shameless extrovert? Not only that, but this man is reliably reported to practice nepotism with his sister-in-law and he has a sister who was once a thespian in wicked New York. Worst of all, it is an established fact that Mr. Pepper, before his marriage, habitually practiced celibacy."
That tactic might have worked in 1950, and in Florida. Heck, we're surprised Huey Long didn't think of it first. But voters are more enlightened these oh-so-modern days. They know a charlatan when they see one. Or a charlatan's campaign.
And they don't take kindly to folks trying to mislead them. For proof, see recent history in this great state.
Editorial on 06/27/2019