Short, Sweet, Original Content
by politicalbreath | 11:36 am, July 14, 2010 | No Comments
Kid, we will get to the point in about two words.
CITE THAT S**T.
Stealing someone’s original work, be it purloining words, ideas, meticulously developed data, or anything else is so low class we can’t even begin to tell you how quickly we’ll delete you from our Christmas card list.
Miss L.C., resident Wiccan goddess of PPC, will also hex you and we won’t even try to stop her.
Give credit where it is due, share good resources and knowledge, and it will come back to you.
Steal your work and, one fine day, that will come back as well. You can admit you’re not the single greatest writter ever and that you occasionally quote someone else or reference another person who just nailed the topic. Or you can face the world as a plagerist.
Your call.
Tic-Tacs From Political Breath, No. 86: The Campaign Website No. 14
by politicalbreath | 10:00 am, July 13, 2010 | No Comments
Your tip of the day for Tuesday, July 13, 2010
14. Once you win, keep all those promised that sounded so good on the campaign trail. If you said you wouldn’t take a salary until the state’s budget was balanced, swore you wouldn’t accept free health insurance so long as there were uninsured people in your district, vowed to prove you weren’t a career politician by not running for a second term, or stated you would set aside ten hours a week to meet with average constituents even if it meant working every day of the week – you had better live up to it. Yes, those are the kind of promises that can make voters look at you like you’re someone who gets what they deal with. They are also the same promises that will look the worst when they’re broken on the floor.
Tic-Tacs From Political Breath, No. 85: The Campaign Website No. 13
by politicalbreath | 10:00 am, July 12, 2010 | No Comments
Your tip of the day for Monday, July 12, 2010
13. Don’t sell your past as a sob story unless it is one. We have seen one gentleman who grew up in poverty in South Korea, was orphaned before 10 when the North Koreans executed his parents, slaved to take care of his younger siblings and finish schooling, came to the US, put himself through college all the way to a PhD, and started a successful business. If you allow your campaign to become little more than a battle to out-do you opponent on the woe-is-I story, someone like that will eat your lunch.
Again, be honest with yourself and if you really can’t honestly say you had a Dickensian childhood, then a better approach might be something like:
I have received so much opportunity and so many blessings in America. I am running because I believe I can give something back and because I feel it is important to make sure the next generation can enjoy the Land of Opportunity.
Tic-Tacs From Political Breath, No. 84: The Campaign Website No. 12
by politicalbreath | 10:00 am, July 11, 2010 | No Comments
Your tip of the day for Sunday July 11, 2010
12. OK, we’ve established that there are many third parties, independents, and lesser-known names on major party ballots – all of whom have a tough fight. Don’t do this, and again we, tragically quote from a real website in the 2010 cycle:
I’m a life-long Independent, running in the Republican party (not something I’m really happy about. I’m not a fan of either party) because you’re either an insider, or you’re a loser.
Shockingly, he did not win the Republican primary for his race.
Tic-Tacs From Political Breath, No. 83: The Campaign Website No. 11
by politicalbreath | 10:00 am, July 10, 2010 | No Comments
Your tip of the day for Saturday, July 10, 2010
11. Lack of funding is not an excuse for a piss-poor website. Free and cheap resources for hosting and design abound. The time to build and maintain a website adds up, but how can you expect to win the office when you don’t think winning it is worth your time? Given how much time people spend on line and how major the web is in politics today, a decent website must be in the budget.
Tic-Tacs From Political Breath, No. 82: The Campaign Website No. 10
by politicalbreath | 10:00 am, July 9, 2010 | No Comments
Your tip of day for Friday, July 9, 2010
10. There is a negative element to campaigning in that you are demolishing opponents. However, please tell us why your plans and qualifications are the best just as much as you tell us why the other guy’s aren’t. And keep your attacks germane to the campaign.
Tic-Tacs From Political Breath, No. 81: The Campaign Website No. 9
by politicalbreath | 10:00 am, July 8, 2010 | No Comments
Your tip of the day for Thursday, July 8, 2010
9. We want to know that you are different from, and a better choice than, the other candidates. However we want you to tell us and show us why. You can’t get away with repeating over and over that you are the best choice without giving detail on why.
This is part of the legwork of winning elected office. You need a message that has substance and you will need to work at it and then work even more to get it out.
Tic-Tacs From Political Breath, No. 80: The Campaign Website No. 8
by politicalbreath | 10:00 am, July 7, 2010 | No Comments
Your tip of the day for Wednesday July 7, 2010
8. We know Americans love electing family types. And we accept that some blurb about being married to best spouse in the world and having however many of the greatest kids ever is a must. But don’t go so far overboard that you sound like a Hallmark card. You love your family and part of why you are running is help make a better community for them. That’s a good point and we like it. Save the rest for the Lifetime Movie of the Week.
Tic-Tacs From Political Breath, No. 79: The Campaign Website No. 7
by politicalbreath | 10:00 am, July 6, 2010 | No Comments
Your tip of the day for Tuesday July 6, 2010
7. Keep the bio focused on what people care about. And the voters do not – we promise – care that the you were the winning-est point guard at your high school in 1962. You are applying for a professional job that a majority of bosses need to agree on giving to you. Tell people things that speak to why you are qualified, passionate, able, and better than than the other guy.
Tic-Tacs From Political Breath, No. 78: The Campaign Website No. 6
by politicalbreath | 10:00 am, July 5, 2010 | No Comments
Your tip of the day for Monday, July 5, 2010
6. No schmaltzy crap. Your platform should not sound like it was written by a starry-eyed nine-year old. Elected office means having a say in the allocation of scarce resources and setting priorities when not everything can be done. If you sound like you can’t handle that, no one will vote for you. Here’s one that practically made our eyes fall out of our little heads:
What do you want? A job? A world class education? The best health care? A healthy environment? More time with your family? A stress free life? To own a home? A vacation? Everything?? Oregonians deserve everything we want…and we can have it. Something we’ve forgotten over many years is that the government is us. We can do with it as we please.
If that garbage worked, PB would be running on a platform of free ice cream and no homework.
More Posts »Grow up.
By the way, Oregon, this is why the rest of American hates you.
